The Quickening
by Vilandra4
Summary: COMPLETE Season 3 redone. Faith arrives in Sunnydale and finds that she has more in common with Xander Harris than she originally thought. FaithXander This will develop through Season 3 while delving into both Faith's and Xander's pasts. NOT involving
1. Welcome to Sunnydale

The Quickening

Disclaimer: Okay, so you know the drill. Buffy the Vampire Slayer and all of its characters, stories, and words belong to Joss Whedon and company. The only things that are mine are those that come out of my mind. Also, I'm making up everything I can about Faith's past because they didn't really cover that.

Notes: The term quickening, in the spiritual sense, means: to make alive, alert, awake, quick, and powerful – waking up to full consciousness.

Prologue:

The bus arrived in the late afternoon, the golden sun slowly sinking down toward the horizon. Faith shifted in her seat as the bus screeched to a halt at the bus stop. The rest of the riders stood, stretched their stiff legs, and gathered their bags. Faith, however, stayed rooted in her seat, staring out of the smeary window absently. Her bag was sitting on the seat next to her, holding all of her earthly possessions – a couple of shirts, two pairs of pants, a collection of undergarments, a hair brush, some money she picked up in the last town she was in, a pair of sunglasses, a lighter, a pack of cigarettes, and a stake.

Faith was a vampire slayer - but not _the _vampire slayer. She had never been _the_ anything. Even though she was the second string slayer, she still felt important because of what she was – empowered. There was only one other girl in the entire world who could do what she did. The strength and power that being a slayer afforded her made her stand out back home in Boston. It made her unique. She could walk down the halls at school and people would look at her, wondering at the secret confidence she possessed. But that was before all Hell broke loose.

The bus had been sitting empty for several minutes. Though Faith was eager to meet the other slayer and move on with her life, she felt like that moment, sitting on the bus, was a defining moment in her life. She had just traveled across the country, abandoning her home and everyone she knew, to start over – to escape. She felt that if she got off the bus, put her feet down on solid ground, so could never go back again. Though most of the memories of her old life she would have rather forgotten, time and distance had painted them with a nostalgic glow and Faith was filled with a deep sense of fear and loss.

"Gettin' off?" A voice asked, breaking Faith out of her ruminations. Faith looked up into the kind face of the bus driver. He was standing a few rows up, looking at her both warmly and suspiciously.

"Yeah," Faith replied, meeting his eyes too long for his comfort. Standing, she stretched, her shirt riding up over her belly button. She smirked as the bus driver instantly looked away, his face coloring. Grabbing her bag, she slung it over her shoulder and started walking down the aisle.

"Have a good night," the driver said as she slid passed him, brushing against him as she smiled as sweetly as she could and moved down the aisle. Her feet dropped the two steps down onto the concrete sidewalk of the bus depot and she knew that she could never go back to Boston. A light breeze blew through the trees and she wrapped her worn, leather jacket tightly around her body. Glancing over her shoulder, she made sure the bus driver was out of sight as she walked away, rifling through the wallet she had lifted out of his pocket when she walked passed him.

"Great," Faith muttered, pulling a folded stack of bills out of the wallet. Tossing the wallet into the nearest trashcan she counted the money. She could tell there wasn't much there. "Forty bucks," she said to herself. "I wonder how far forty bucks goes in a little, shit town like this."

Stuffing the money into her pocket, she continued walking. The bus depot was only a mile or two away from the main section of Sunnydale and she had reached Main Street before sunset. Her slayer senses always tingled in the moments before the sun went down. It was as if the slayer inside of her was waking up, stretching, and opening its eyes to the kill. "Hey," Faith said to a passing man in a business suit. "Where's the nearest motel?"

"Take a left on the next street up and it's five blocks," the man answered. His gaze lingered a second too long and Faith smirked.

"Guys are so easy," she muttered as she walked away. She reached the motel just as the sun dipped below the horizon. The sky lit up in a blazing display of red before the colors faded into the velvety darkness of night. Faith gazed at the motel from across the street. It looked like a dump, but she had lived in dumps her entire life. The sign was only partially lit up and seemed to hang crooked. The building itself obviously needed a paint job and the rain gutters were hanging off at unnatural angles. The walls were tagged with spray paint and the landscaping hadn't been landscaped in years. Faith walked across the street and pulled open the office door, stepping inside.

The room smelled like cheese steak subs and sweat. A little fan was buzzing away in the corner, but it only succeeded in spreading the sickening odor around the room. "Can I help you?" An older woman asked behind the counter.

"I need a room," Faith said, moving up to the counter.

"How many nights?"

"Just one… for now," Faith answered, pulling the wad of cash out of her pocket.

"That'll be thirty-nine dollars," the woman said. Faith internally breathed a sigh of relief and handed over thirty-nine dollars in cash. The woman eyed her suspiciously, but Faith imagined that she wasn't the first runaway teenage girl the woman had seen pass through the door. She handed Faith a key and flashed her a halfhearted smile. "Enjoy your stay."

"Thanks," Faith said as she turned and walked back out of the door. She easily found her room. Slipping the key into the lock, she slid the door open. The room smelled much like the front office. The air conditioning unit was clunking away in the corner and Faith wasn't entirely sure she wanted to know where the stains on the carpet had come from. But it was a roof over her head and she would get used to the smell eventually. Tossing her bag onto a chair in the corner, she sat down on the bed. The mattress barely moved under her weight it was so firm.

"Sunnydale," Faith said to the dark, empty room. "Home sweet home."


	2. Faith, Hope, and Trick

The Quickening

Chapter One:

Within a matter of moments, Faith had unpacked her life into the small, but sturdy dresser that stood across from the bed. Her belongings only partially filled one drawer. Faith looked down at the items neatly stacked inside and swallowed a moment of pity. In the back of her mind, she always remembered that everyone else had much more than she did – money, possessions, family. Even so, Faith knew that she had all that the she needed. She was her own rock, her own saving grace, and she didn't need anything else.

"Some food would be nice though," she mumbled to the empty room as her stomach growled. She couldn't remember the last time she had eaten, but she imagined it was quite some time ago. Despite her ferocious appetite, she could stifle hunger for as long as she needed to. But, with a couple extra dollars burning a hole in her pocket, she thought that she didn't need to stifle it for the time being.

Grabbing her room key off the dresser, she tucked a stake in her waistband, and turned off the lights. Then she headed out for her own personal tour of Sunnydale. As eager as she was to slay, she also wanted to get to know the lay of the land before engaging anything of the demonic variety. Her watcher had always taught her to know every possible escape before rushing into a situation. Of course, she had taught Faith that to ensure that Faith knew exactly where the vampires would be running when they realized that they couldn't defeat a slayer. However, the tip had come in handy on some occasions when the fight got to be too much.

Faith walked along a broken, chipped sidewalk that ran parallel to the main road leading into Sunnydale. Several yards ahead of her, she could see the looming golden arches of McDonalds. The food wasn't anything to brag about particularly, but it was cheap and quick. Her slayer senses had been on high alert ever since she entered Sunnydale; Faith imagined it was because of the Hellmouth. Though she was learning to ignore it for the most part, she took a careful look around before entering the restaurant, peering intently into the dark alley next to it. When she couldn't see a pair of eyes staring back, she went inside to make the most of her dinner.

…………………………

Xander sighed as he stood in front of his mirror. He absently ran a hand through his hair, hoping in vain that it would work with him instead of against him for once in his life. "Maybe I should just shave it all off," he muttered to himself. He was meeting the rest of the Scooby Gang at the Bronze that night. Though he would never admit it to any of them, he wasn't in a joking, fun loving sort of mood.

"Xander!" A harsh male voice called up the stairs.

"Yeah?" Xander yelled back, his voice even and controlled.

"Where the hell are my cigarettes?"

Closing his eyes, Xander took a deep breath before answering. "On the table by the couch," he yelled down. He could hear his father moving about in the living room. By the silence that followed their exchange, Xander assumed he was correct. Shifting his gaze back to the mirror in front of him, he smiled slightly. He hated his family, his house, and sometimes the awkward face staring back at him in the mirror. But he knew he had it good in comparison to some people. After all, he had great friends, a purpose in life, and a beautiful girlfriend, even if he did sometimes believe that Cordelia really was mortally embarrassed of him.

"I can do this," he said, nodding to himself. "I can be fun loving, happy Xander…if only for a little while." Grabbing his jacket and keys, he slipped out of his bedroom. Pausing at the top of the stairs, he could hear his father flipping through the channels of the television. He carefully walked down the stairs, avoiding the spots that he knew creaked and slipped out of the front door without his father ever having known he left. It wasn't that Xander couldn't go out at night, but if his father knew he was leaving, it would take him twenty minutes to get out of the house amidst a barrage of questions and insults as to the way he was dressed or the state of his life.

The cool, night air hit his face and Xander smiled. His feet naturally guided him to the Bronze, wandering passed the alleys he knew to be trouble and through the streets that were better lit than others were. He had a stake in his pocket, but he wasn't going to take any chances. He knew he wasn't Buffy. On good days, he could knock a vampire down, maybe stake it. But those good days were few and far between. Xander had resigned himself to being the backup guy, not the superhero. He was there when the moment called, though he didn't always come through physically, he believed in what he did with all of his heart.

"Hey," Xander said, smiling widely when he saw Buffy and Willow waiting outside of the Bronze for him. "Ready to get down?" He asked, breaking into an impromptu dance. Buffy and Willow both tried to stifle their laughter, though they failed miserably.

"Might wanna work on the whole 'gettin down' thing there, Xander," Buffy said, smiling and taking his arm as he led both she and Willow into the club.

"Not workin' for ya?" He asked.

"No," both Buffy and Willow responded emphatically.

"Oh, well," he said, shrugging. "It was worth a try."

………………………………

Faith paused outside of a massive warehouse style building called the Bronze. Though she knew she had better things to do than hang out at a club all night, she couldn't resist the temptation to take a spin through the place and see what the best and brightest of Sunnydale had to offer. She managed to slip by the bouncer without paying and disappeared into the crowd of teenagers packed inside. Worming her way through the mob, she knocked into a guy just inside of the doorway, nearly knocking him over. "In the way much?" She said, blowing him off. He was sort of cute, in a geeky, boy next-door kind of way.

She forgot about him the instant her feet hit the dance floor. The music seemed to fill her mind and her feet took over, the rest of her operating on autopilot. She vaguely registered someone moving up behind her and smiled when that someone's hands latched onto her hips. Her smile faded though when her slayer senses started bouncing off the charts. Spinning, she faced the vampire that she was dancing with. He was dressed much like he had just walked out of disco in the '70s. There was no way she would have even considered the guy, but as a vampire, she needed to get him outside.

"Let's go somewhere a little more private," Faith drawled into his ear. The guy smiled and she took his hand, leading him out of the club. Across the room, the Scooby Gang watched her and her vampire date departing.

"Check out Slut-O-Rama and her Disco Dave. What was the last thing that guy danced to, K.C. and the Sunshine Band?" Cordelia said, absently taking a sip from her drink. Buffy watched the couple intently.

"I don't think that guy thrives on sunshine," she said, rising to her feet.

Faith and the vampire wormed their way through the crowd and out into the fresh, night air. "So, where do you wanna go?" Faith asked, batting her eyelashes at him and smiling sweetly.

"Come on, I know this place," the guy said, taking her by the hand and heading down the nearest alley. Faith smirked, but let herself be dragged along. They reached the end of the alley and the guy turned, his face shifting into its true form.

"I guess this is the part where I'm supposed to scream and try to run away, huh?" Faith asked, much to the vampire's surprise. "Sorry, ain't gonna happen," she said, whipping out her stake. The vampire charged and knocked her backwards into a chain link fence. The stake flew out of her grasp into a pile of garbage. "Shit," Faith muttered.

It was then that Buffy and the rest of the gang appeared, armed and ready to fight. Faith saw them over the vampire's shoulder and instantly knew who Buffy was. She saw Buffy move forward and smirked. "It's okay, I got it," she said, punching the vampire in the face. He stumbled back and Faith wiggled free of his grasp. "You're, uh, Buffy, right? I'm Faith."

"I'm gonna go out on a limb and say there's a new slayer in town," Oz said dryly. Faith maneuvered her way over to Buffy and snatched the stake out of her hand.

"Mind if I borrow that?" She asked. Turning, she plunged the stake deep into the vampire's heart. A couple of seconds later, he vanished into dust. "Thanks, B," Faith said, handing the stake back and throwing her a wink. "I couldn't have done it without ya."


	3. The Heist

The Quickening

Notes: Firstly, if you're going to criticize me in a review, how about you try to spell things correctly? Not really that hard. Secondly, I realize the last chapter mirrored the show, but hello, that's how Faith was introduced to us. It's called setting up the story. Moving on. We shall be deviating from this point on as, in the show, they dispatched Kakistos way too early for my angst loving self. And also, sorry if the title was confusing, I didn't realize that Highlander had used the same thing.

Chapter Two:

Faith could tell she wasn't exactly getting off to a wonderful start in Sunnydale. Never mind the fact that Buffy's mom seemed excessively nice to her, or the fact that Buffy's friends were captivated by her. She knew that once they got to know her, they wouldn't be so eager to be her friend – once they knew what a coward she was. Faith sighed and kicked a plastic, soda bottle down the street as she walked back to her motel room. She had just finished her first patrol with Buffy. Faith's abandon when fighting had scared the other slayer, who hadn't learned to give in to her inner warrior. Though Faith knew that she got out of control sometimes, she also knew that her passion was the only thing that had kept her alive through the years.

The patrol, though fairly uneventful, revealed one piece of information that terrified Faith to the very marrow of her bones. One of the vampires they fought revealed that he worked for Kakistos. Just the name of the vampire who had murdered her Watcher was enough to make Faith's skin crawl. Faith liked Sunnydale well enough and she didn't want to leave. But if Kakistos came too close to figuring out where she was, Faith knew she would have to run.

She felt like she had been running her entire life. Though she would never admit it to anyone, all she wanted was to find a place where she could stay and make a life for herself without any problems. However, she was entirely convinced that would never happen. With the threat of Kakistos looming over her and the knowledge that she would eventually have to explain what had happened to her Watcher, Faith's hope that Sunnydale was a possible refuge from her problems was starting to diminish. Giles, Buffy's perfect Watcher, thought that Kate was on a Watcher's Retreat. Faith was certain Giles wouldn't be pleased when he found out she had been hiding Kate's death from him.

When Faith met Kate, she thought for the first time that her life was going to start turning around. Finally, she had a stable home to return to every night, where someone was waiting for her, concerned about her well-being. Her mother had never cared about whether she came at night, simply that if she did, she brought home a pack of cigarettes and stayed out of the way. But Kate was different. Kate was the mother Faith should have had, if Fate had been a bit gentler. However, Faith's new life and new start were ripped away from her in one instant when Kakistos killed Kate, and every dream Faith had ever had about a normal life.

Faith reached her motel room and opened the door. Darkness greeted her and she flipped on the light, closing the door behind herself. The air conditioning had turned off at some point during the night and the room was stifling. Faith sauntered over to the window and yanked it open. The sounds of police sirens filled her ears from outside. It sounded just like home. Faith sat down on the chair next to the window and peered out into the night. She was surprised to find that she didn't feel any different in California. She had thought that if she escaped Boston, she would be happy. But she was still as miserable and haunted as before. Now, instead of being miserable in the cold, she was miserable in a land of sun and palm trees.

California had always been this place of instant happiness in her mind – a place where people could go and escape from their troubles. Thus far, Faith hadn't been able to escape from any of hers; in fact, they seemed to have followed her nearly two thousand miles. When she looked around at the faces of the people living in Sunnydale, she saw that distorted image of California peering back at her and it made her feel even worse, knowing that, for some reason, she couldn't be like those people.

Though coming to California had been a disappointment, meeting Buffy had been even worse. When Kate told her about the slayer who had defeated a master vampire, Faith was sure that Buffy was someone she would want to meet. She began to form an image of the blonde slayer as some sort of super warrior who could teach her how to become everything a slayer was meant to be. Instead, Faith found a frightened little girl who rejected her calling, who couldn't see the value in being a slayer, and who wanted nothing more than to fade away into mediocrity as a normal teenager. Faith sighed and rested her head against the window, knowing that sleep wouldn't find her that night.

…………………….

Faith scanned the crowd meandering down Sunnydale's Main Street. It was nearly twelve o'clock in the afternoon and people flooded the streets on their lunch break, looking for a quick bite to eat. Faith was doing the same, only she had a different way of going about it. She only had a few dollars left and needed enough money to pay for her room for the night. She had no delusions about being about to juggle slaying and some sort of job to pay her bills. She knew there was no way she could afford to stay at the motel, unless she found a way to supplement her income tax-free and without the stress of working. Now, as she looked out over the crowd of people walking down the street, she knew exactly how to do it. Smiling, Faith started walking slowly down the street, watching the people approaching her intently.

A woman on the cell phone had stopped at a traffic light, waiting for a walk signal. Faith sidled up beside her, flashed her a brief smile and looked away. All the while, her hand delved into the woman's purse. She fished around for a moment before coming out with her wallet. The light changed. The woman started walking and Faith walked the other way. She quickly emptied the woman's wallet and tossed it into a nearby garbage can, looking for her next victim.

"You know, most people our age just flip burgers for some extra cash," a voice behind her said. Faith spun around and saw Xander standing there with his hands in his pockets and a goofy grin on his face.

"What're you talking about?" Faith asked grumpily, moving away. Xander followed her.

"You just stole that woman's wallet. I saw you do it," Xander said.

"So?" Faith shot back. "I need the money."

"Well, so do I, but you don't see me lifting people's wallets," Xander replied. Faith turned around and looked at him.

"Well, maybe you should, X," Faith responded. "Besides, I don't see how it's any of your business what I do in my spare time. And shouldn't you be in school?"

"I'm not much with the book learning. Besides, we can go off campus for lunch," Xander replied.

"Wait, the others aren't around are they?" Faith asked, suddenly panicked that Buffy and Willow might have seen her, though she wasn't entirely sure why she cared.

"No, your secret's safe with me," Xander said with a smile. Faith scowled.

"Like I'd trust you with anything," she replied.

"Well, give me a chance. Maybe you'll see that you can," Xander said, instantly following after her as Faith began to walk away again.

"Oh yeah? And what could you possibly do to make me trust you?" Faith retorted.

"I can't exactly ask you to just blindly trust me. That wouldn't be fair. But I have a deal to offer," Xander said. Faith stopped and looked over at him, intrigued despite herself. Xander wasn't her type at all, yet, there was something endearing about the stumbling, goofy teenage boy.

"A proposition?" Faith asked. Xander nodded.

"I can't ask you to trust me if I don't trust you first. So, I know a little secret of yours. Wanna know a little secret of mine?" Xander asked.

Faith smiled slightly, the corners of her mouth tugging up. It was barely noticeable, but Xander saw it. "Okay, deal," Faith replied.

"Okay. Wait here for one second," Xander said, turning around. He scanned the crowd for a moment before moving away. Faith watched him walked a few yards down the street before he accidentally bumped into a man heading in the opposite direction.

"Oh, hey, sorry about that," Xander said, reaching out a hand to steady him. Meanwhile, his other hand slipped into the man's back pocket and discreetly pulled out his wallet.

"It's okay," the man said before walking away. Xander watched him go for a moment before smiling and holding up the wallet. Faith grinned.

"I thought you didn't pick people's pockets," Faith said when Xander was standing in front of her again with his prize.

"Well, it's a secret," Xander said, then handed the wallet over to Faith.

"Why are you giving this to me?" Faith asked, looking at the wallet that Xander had placed into her hand. Xander smiled and stepped a little closer, leaning in and whispering in her ear.

"You know, that's kind of a secret too."


	4. Questions and Answers

The Quickening

Notes: Thanks for the reviews. I would have posted yesterday, but I just started my semester and was wiped. Here's the next chapter.

Previously:

"Why are you giving this to me?" Faith asked, looking at the wallet that Xander had placed into her hand. Xander smiled and stepped a little closer, leaning in and whispering in her ear.

"You know, that's kind of a secret too."

Chapter Three:

Faith was lying on her motel room bed, propped up by some pillows and attempting to watch an old movie on television. Her mind, however, was wandering elsewhere. Her eyes kept straying over to the wallet that lay on her dresser. She didn't know why she kept it; she always threw away the evidence. But for some reason, she couldn't bear to part with it. There had been enough money in the two wallets to allow her to pay for two more nights at the motel. She had about twenty bucks left over for food, which was she very thankful for.

Xander's last words to her that afternoon kept playing over and over in her mind as she looked at the wallet. He was obviously going out of his way to get her to trust him and though Faith suspected that he was as innocent as he appeared, she couldn't help but attribute his actions to ulterior motives. She had been burned by guys too many times in the past to believe truly that Xander was as nice and caring as he seemed to be. Her train of thought made her wonder all the more what Xander's little secret was. She thought that maybe he didn't need the money and that was why he had given his prize over to her. But, from what Faith had heard about Xander, she knew that wasn't true. Willow had told her all about how close she and Xander were, friends since they were little, and how everyday she shared her lunch with him at school. Though Willow hadn't out and said that Xander was too poor to buy his own lunch, Faith assumed that was what she meant.

Xander was lucky to have someone he could rely on for things. Growing up, Faith had never had a Willow to share lunch with. Faith distinctly remembered hiding in the cafeteria, waiting for all of the other kids to go outside for recess. Once they were gone, she would emerge and pick through the trashcans, finding the food that still looked edible. She remembered one of the older lunch ladies caught her one day and, afterward, would slip her free food every once in a while. But that lunch lady died a short time later and Faith resorted to picking through the trashcans again to find lunch.

Faith tried to imagine what her life would have been like if she had grown up with friends like Willow, Buffy, or Xander. She couldn't imagine what it would be like to have a constant network of support. It seemed like no matter what happened, they were all there for each other. It was almost as if no wrong was too great to forgive and forget. Faith had to keep her mind from wondering what life would have been like with a mom like Buffy's. It pained her to think of how different things would have been, so she chose not to think about it. Instead, she let her eyes wander back over to the wallet still resting on her dresser.

"What is your secret, Xander Harris," she muttered to herself. Faith sat up and leaned forward, resting her chin on her hands. It was nearly twelve o'clock at night, but the overwhelming urge to take the wallet back to Xander and demand to know what he meant by giving it to her filled her mind. Leaping to her feet, she grabbed her worn, leather jacket and stuffed the wallet and her keys into her pockets. Then she dashed out of the door, practically running to Xander's house. She didn't know exactly where it was, but Buffy had pointed it out to her when they were walking back to Buffy's house for dinner the night before. Faith had a keen memory and she knew she could find the house again. However, what she would do when she got there, she hadn't quite figured out.

…………………………

"Xander! Get the door!" Xander's father yelled from the living room. Xander sighed and slid the tray of leftovers he was about to heat up back into the refrigerator.

"I'll be right there," he called to the door. Running a hand through his hair, he briefly wondered who would bother to come over so late at night. He hoped Buffy or one of his other friends wasn't in trouble. Xander opened the door and smiled briefly. He could see Faith pacing back and forth on the sidewalk, a look of fierce determination on her face.

"Hey," he said, stepping outside and closing the door behind him. "What're you doing here? It's like midnight."

"I know," Faith said, stopping, and looking up at him. "Okay, listen up, Harris. I'm gonna ask you this one time and so help me God, you better tell me the truth or I'm gonna kick your ass. We clear?" She asked. Xander nodded, intimidated despite himself.

"Good," Faith said, marching right up to him. She stopped several inches away, looking up at him warily. "Why did you give me this? And no bullshit," she said, holding up the wallet. Xander looked it at, admittedly surprised that she still had it.

"You kept it?" He asked, the question slipping from his lips before he had time to stop it.

"That's not the point," Faith said obstinately. "Answer my question."

"Answer my question and I'll answer yours," Xander replied. Faith scoffed and stopped closer.

"Are you kidding me? I could kick your ass before you even knew what hit you," Faith reminded him.

"I know," Xander said, stepping forward as well and trying his best to look unafraid. Faith remained impassive, but she was impressed.

"Fine," she muttered. "I don't know why I kept it. Now answer my question." Xander watched her intently for several seconds before he nodded, satisfied with her answer.

"I gave it to you because I like you," Xander said after several seconds. Faith's head snapped up and her eyes narrowed.

"I knew it. You just wanna get in my pants," she practically hissed. "You can have this back for all I care," she said, throwing the wallet at him. Turning on her heels, she walked away. Xander silently cursed and grabbed the wallet, chasing after her.

"That's not what I meant," he said, catching up with her. She spun around to face him.

"No, then what the hell did you mean, Harris? You have a girlfriend. Lookin' for some action on the side? Not gonna happen," Faith yelled.

"That's not....," Xander paused and sighed. "Look, Faith, I think you're really cool. And yeah, you're hot. You know that, everyone knows that. I'm not gonna lie and say I don't look at you and imagine things, but that's not what I meant. And as for Cordelia, honestly, I think she hates me."

"She doesn't hate you," Faith replied.

"Well, if she doesn't hate me, she doesn't like me either. And she's too embarrassed of the entire thing to break up with me because then how would she look? Tried out geek and didn't like it. She'd have to crawl her way back into the social circle of Sunnydale High. So, she just stays with me instead, too embarrassed to leave but too repulsed by me to really stay," Xander said, not even realizing he had told Faith so much. Faith watched him, not really sure how to react. She didn't know how to comfort anyone, at least, in a non-sexual way. So, she tried in the best way she knew how.

"I was gonna grab some food. Wanna come with?" She asked when the silence between them had grown a bit uncomfortable. This time, Xander's head snapped up and he grinned.

"So we're cool then?" He asked. Faith nodded and looked down at her shoes.

"Yeah, we're cool," she said softly.

"Let's go then," he said, allowing her to lead the way. As they walked, he sidled up next to her and gently slipped the wallet back into her hand. Faith looked over at him questioningly.

"Just keep it safe for me, yeah?" Xander asked. Faith smiled and nodded.

"I can do that."


	5. Hamburgers and Fries

The Quickening

Previously:

"I was gonna grab some food. Wanna come with?" She asked when the silence between them had grown a bit uncomfortable. This time, Xander's head snapped up and he grinned.

Chapter Four:

"So what brought you to Sunnydale, anyway? I mean, it's not really a happening hot spot," Xander said as he set his tray down on the sticky, fast food table and sat. Faith hesitated a moment before doing the same. She wasn't entirely sure why she had invited him to come along. She had never really had any male friends, at least, male friends that she didn't occasionally sleep with also. Then again, she had never really had any female friends either. Faith supposed that friends were supposed to share things about themselves, cry on each other's shoulders when things got rough and laugh together when life was good.

"Like I said before, my Watcher's at that retreat. Thought it would be good to come out here and meet the infamous Buffy Summers, super slayer," Faith said a bit sarcastically.

"You don't like Buffy?" Xander asked, taking a large bite of his hamburger.

"It's not that I don't like her. I just don't think she likes me," Faith said, wondering where her words were coming from. It was almost easy to talk to him.

"Sure she does. She just gets weird when a new slayer comes to town. Feels threatened. That's all. You should have seen her when Kendra came. She was a wreck," Xander said.

"Kendra was the slayer before me," Faith stated. "How did she die?"

"Your Watcher didn't tell you?" Xander asked, surprised. Faith shook her head.

"No, my Watcher didn't like…doesn't like," Faith quickly amended, looking up to see if Xander had caught her mistake. He didn't seem to notice. "She doesn't like to dwell on the negative. Something about negative energy forces, I don't know."

Xander nodded. "Fair enough. Well, this vampire, Drusilla, kinda slit her throat. Wasn't pretty and Buffy got blamed for it because the police came just when Buffy had discovered Kendra's body. But the whole thing got squared away and the Buffster was allowed back in school."

"Buffy got kicked out of school?" Faith asked in surprise.

"Yeah," Xander replied, chomping away on a French fry.

"I guess we have more in common than I thought," Faith mumbled. Xander looked up at her. "Well, I dropped out. But same thing almost."

"Why did you drop out?" Xander asked.

"Not really one for the book learning," Faith replied. Xander just looked at her. Faith sighed and sat her hamburger down. "When I got called, it was this whole new world that opened up for me. School just took me away from it. When I was there, I wasn't being a slayer, I was just Faith, the kid no one really liked. But when I was training, or researching, or even reading that stupid handbook, I was it. There was no one better than me…well, except for Buffy," Faith added a bit scornfully.

"Buffy's not better than you," Xander replied forcefully. "You just have different talents." Faith raised her eyebrow at him. "What? It's true," Xander defended himself.

"Whatever you say, X," Faith said, though she smiled slightly.

"So when does your Watcher come back from this retreat?" Xander asked.

"I don't really know," Faith replied, looking away.

"That's cool. Are you gonna stay when she does?" Xander replied. Faith thought she caught a tinge of hope in his voice, but dismissed it.

"Don't see why not. Sunnydale may not be the coolest place in the world, but it ain't that bad," Faith replied. "It was built on a Hellmouth after all, it's like the perfect place for a slayer." Xander laughed.

"And here I thought being built on a Hellmouth was a bad thing," he said.

"How mistaken you are," Faith bantered back. They both smiled and a comfortable silence fell between them as they continued to eat. Faith noticed Xander slowing down.

"You gonna finish those fries?" She asked. Xander looked up at her in surprise.

"Seriously?"

"Slayer metabolism, X. I'm always hungry," Faith replied. Xander smiled and slid the fries over to her. "You're sure you're done with them?"

"Yeah," Xander replied. "So, the whole pick pocketing thing, that like a regular job for you?"

"Pays the rent," Faith responded. Xander raised an eyebrow, but didn't reply. Faith shook her head. "Don't even get into some kinda ethical debate with me, Harris," she replied. "The way I figure it, I'm out there bustin' my ass to save people's lives every night. A couple wallets here and there isn't gonna make any difference in the grand scheme of things. But if I don't got the energy and stamina to keep doin' what I do because I'm out on the street somewhere livin' in a cardboard box, then everyone else suffers."

"Yeah, you could also get a job," Xander said.

"Come on, can you really picture me workin' a nine to five? Besides, I dropped out of high school. Where am I gonna work? This place?" Faith asked, motioning around the dirty restaurant. "I make more money doing what I'm doing."

Xander laughed. "Yeah, I imagine you do." Faith gathered their trash together and stood, tossing it in the nearest trashcan.

"Ready?" She asked. Xander stood and joined her. Together they walked outside. The chill air brushed against their faces and Faith involuntarily shivered.

"Cold?" Xander asked.

"Nah, I'm good," Faith lied.

"So, mind if I walk you home?" Xander asked. Faith looked over at him incredulously.

"Shouldn't I walk you home? I'm a slayer after all," Faith replied.

"Yeah, but spare my manly pride and just say yes, please? Please?" Xander whined. Faith finally caved.

"Fine, but if you get eaten on the way home, it's not my fault," she shot back. Xander smiled. They began walking the short distance to Faith's motel in comfortable silence. It was beyond late and the town was dark. Their surroundings gradually began to shift, growing more desperate looking, more forlorn. Finally, they reached the motel.

"You're staying here?" Xander asked, trying to keep the disdain out of his voice. Xander knew that Faith wouldn't be happy if she knew he pitied her for the place she had to live.

"Don't knock it 'til you try it," Faith replied.

"I did. My parents kicked me out one time. I stayed here a night, but I couldn't stand it, so I went back home and basically licked their feet like a dog until they let me back in," Xander said. He hated that motel. Looking at it reminded him of how much he hated his family and how much his family hated him in return.

Faith wasn't entirely sure how to respond. "Well, it's the only place I got," she finally said, looking at it a little differently herself.

"That's not true," Xander replied, looking over at her.

"What, I'm supposed to stay with you, after that lovely picture you painted. No thanks," Faith responded as they walked to her room.

"I wasn't suggesting myself. What about Giles?" Xander replied.

"I don't even know him. How do I know he's not some old, perverted librarian," Faith asked. Xander laughed.

"I can personally guarantee you that he's not. I don't even think Giles knows what sex is," Xander replied.

"You're wrong there, X," Faith said. "I'm bettin' G-man was a player in his day."

"Oh God don't ever say that again," Xander pleaded. Faith smiled. They reached her door and Xander shoved his hands into his pockets. "Well, I'll see you tomorrow then," he said. Faith nodded and threw him a crooked smile before opening her door and closing it gently behind her. Xander stood outside of the motel for a little while, wondering how she could stand to live there. When he started walking back home, he was determined to find her a better place to call home.


	6. A Reason to Stay

The Quickening

Notes: Thanks for the reviews, keep them coming.

Previously:

Xander stood outside of the motel for a little while, wondering how she could stand to live there. When he started walking back home, he was determined to find her a better place to call home.

Chapter Five:

"Well? Do you have anything interesting to report?" Kakistos asked, turning to face Mr. Trick.

"Absolutely," Trick said smugly. "I got two pieces of information I think you'll find useful."

"Do tell," Kakistos said, motioning for Trick to sit. Trick nodded and sat in front of Kakistos, crossing his legs and folding his hands in his lap.

"Firstly, I've located our girl. Oh, the wonders of modern technology. I tell ya, man, we live in fascinating times. Caught a glimpse of her on a traffic light security camera. She's stayin' at the Sunnydale Motor Lodge, room seventeen. Just ripe for the plucking," Trick said, smiling widely, his white teeth flashing.

"What else?" Kakistos asked.

"She's been hangin' around this kid – a boy. Alexander Harris. Goes to the local high school. If I didn't know better, I'd say Faith was getting attached," Trick said.

"Unlikely," Kakistos disagreed, though the thought intrigued him.

"So we move in on Faith then?" Trick asked, preparing to stand. Kakistos smiled and Trick had to fight the urge to shudder in disgust.

"No," Kakistos said, much to Trick's surprise. "We don't. I have another plan. I want Faith to suffer as much as she's caused me to suffer. Find the boy. Bring him back here. I want to do to him what I did to her Watcher. I want him to scream for death while she watches. If she's attached, it'll be all the more entertaining."

Trick nodded and rose to his feet. "As you wish," he said and then turned, walking out of the room. His gang of vampires was waiting for him.

"What's the plan, boss?" One of them asked.

"We grab the boy. Bring him back here – tonight. And we make this quick," Trick said. "I got better things to do tonight."

………………………….

Xander was walking home, absently fingering the stake he always kept in the waistband of his jeans when he went out at night. He imagined in some places, people didn't have to carry concealed weapons with them to ensure their survival. But in Sunnydale, it was absolutely necessary. He was almost home. He could see the lights of his street just a few yards a head – fifth house down on the left and he would be there. Xander was running plans over in his mind, different places where Faith could stay. He knew Giles would take her in, at least until her Watcher returned.

If Faith didn't like that plan, Xander imagined that Buffy's mom would gladly take her in as well. From the way Buffy had described the dinner she and her mom had with Faith, Joyce seemed to like the younger slayer very much. Xander knew that Faith wouldn't take to any plan easily; she would see any help offered to her as an act of pity. Xander knew that because the same thought always crept into his mind whenever someone did something nice for him.

He had gotten used to his friends doing things for him because he knew they did things because they cared about him, not because they pitied him. However, Faith, hadn't been around the Scooby Gang long enough to know the difference. She would assume that everyone pitied her because she didn't have what they had and therefore, she would reject their aid. Xander knew he had to approach the situation differently, but he wasn't sure how. He would have to approach her very cautiously, so as not to drive her away, that much he knew.

These thoughts were racing through his mind as he walked down the street. He didn't notice the limousine that pulled up along side of him until it had been slowly following him down the street for several minutes. Xander looked over at it warily and stopped walking. The limousine stopped as well. The window rolled down, but Xander could not see inside. "Can I help you?" Xander asked nervously.

"Yes, I think you can," Trick said from inside the limousine. "Alexander Harris?"

"Why?" Xander asked, backing away. The limousine doors opened and several men stepped out.

"I need you to come with us," Trick said as the vampires grabbed Xander and pulled him toward the limousine. "If you don't mind of course."

"Of course not," Xander mumbled as they shoved him into the limousine. He knew there were too many of them to take on by himself. He could barely fight one scrawny vampire alone; much less, several vampires nearly double his size. However, he also knew that since the vampires didn't kill him right away, they had other plans for him. Whatever they might be, he trusted that Buffy and his friends would come through for him before the end. He just hoped they figured out he was gone before the end came.

……………………….

Faith groaned and rolled out of bed, slamming her fist down on the alarm clock. She was supposed to meet Giles in the library at eight o'clock that morning for training. Giles also wanted to familiarize her with the way they did research. Rubbing her eyes, she got up and stretched, yawning widely. She made her way to the bathroom and turned on the shower. The water took a while to heat up and when it did, the heat only lasted so long. Faith used to enjoy taking long showers, but she knew she would have to grow accustomed to shorter ones.

Faith let the hot water roll over her body. Closing her eyes, she leaned forward and rested the palms of her hands on the wall. The water splashed over her face, burning slightly, but she ignored the discomfort. Then it began to cool. Sighing in frustration, Faith turned off the shower and stepped out into the bathroom. Within minutes, she was dressed and ready to go. Grabbing her keys from the dresser, she pulled open the door. Looking over at it, she noticed an envelope taped to the front of it.

Faith ripped it off and tore it open. "Shit," she muttered. Inside was a single Polaroid picture of Xander chained to a wall. Blood was running down the side of his face and his eyes were closed. Faith turned the picture over and saw a black K burned onto the back. "Kakistos," she said, fear coursing through her body. The urge to run back into the motel room, back her belongings, and skip town came over her strongly.

She might have done it too, if she hadn't flipped the picture back over and looked at Xander one more time. Despite herself, she had formed a connection in Sunnydale. She had a reason to stay. Firming her resolve, she slipped the picture into her pocket and locked her motel room door. Then she took off down the street, heading for the Sunnydale High School. She had never relied on anyone before; she knew that she couldn't fight Kakistos alone. She would need help. Though she was loathe to ask it of anyone, she had a feeling that she could swallow her pride just once, if it meant she could save Xander.


	7. Coming Clean

The Quickening

Note: Reading through transcripts of season three, I couldn't find any specifics about what happened between Faith, her Watcher, and Kakistos. So, I'm going to make it up.

Previously:

Firming her resolve, she slipped the picture into her pocket and locked her motel room door. Then she took off down the street, heading for the Sunnydale High School. She had never relied on anyone before; she knew that she couldn't fight Kakistos alone. She would need help. Though she was loathe to ask it of anyone, she had a feeling that she could swallow her pride just once, if it meant she could save Xander.

Chapter Six:

"Hey," Faith said, strolling into the library. She was the first one there and Giles seemed to be waiting for her.

"I'm glad you're early. There's something I wanted to talk to you about," Giles said, sitting his cup of tea down on one of the library tables. After Buffy had come to him to tell him of Faith's out of control fighting style and her frivolous dismissal of Buffy's concern about it, Giles had called the Watcher's Council in London. He had found out that Faith's Watcher was not in fact at a Watcher's Retreat, but had been viciously murdered by an ancient vampire named Kakistos.

"Yeah, me too. Mind if I go first?" Faith asked, sitting down at the table across from Giles. Giles nodded.

"Of course," he said.

"I kinda lied to you before," Faith said, resting her hands in her lap nervously. Giles smiled softly and nodded, encouraging her to continue. "I told you that my Watcher was at a Watcher's Retreat. Well, she's not. See, back in Boston, I pissed off this vampire called Kakistos and he killed her…right in front of me," Faith said, her voice taking a distant tone. She looked away. "Anyway, the thing is, Kakistos followed me when I left Boston. He's here in Sunnydale."

"I feared as much," Giles said, leaning back in his chair. He smiled as a look of surprise flickered across Faith's face. "I knew about your Watcher before you came in here today. That's what I wanted to talk to you about. However, I appreciate that you told me first. I want you to know Faith, I may not be your Watcher, but your welfare is of great concern to me. Whenever you have a problem, just tell me what it is, okay?" Giles asked. Faith nodded and looked down at her hands.

"There's more," she said, looking up. This time, Giles looked surprised.

"What is it?" He asked, leaning forward on his elbows.

"Kakistos has been gunnin' for me ever since I slashed his eye out. This morning, I found this taped to my motel room door," Faith said, taking the envelope out of her pocket and sliding it across the table to Giles. Giles picked it up and opened it. His eyes flashed when he saw the photograph of Xander.

"Kakistos has taken Xander?" Giles asked, looking up at her. Faith nodded.

"Apparently. Look, this whole thing is my fault. If I had just told you guys the deal when I got here, this wouldn't have happened. I wanna do whatever it takes to get him back, but I get it if you want me gone afterwards," Faith said resolutely. Giles looked at her for several long moments.

"Faith, you're with a group of people who care very greatly about each other now. We're not going to tell you to pack your bags just because you made a mistake. Honestly, I understand why you didn't tell us. It's not your fault that Kakistos took Xander and we will get him back….together," Giles said, smiling softly and standing. "Would you like some tea?" He asked, turning back to her as he began to walk to his office with the envelope and photograph. Faith looked up at him gratefully.

"Yeah, thanks," she said, smiling slightly. She had expected Giles to kick her out after he learned that she had lied to him. The last thing she had expected was kindness and understanding in return. Perhaps Xander was right when he told her that Giles wasn't anything that she assumed. Faith watched him as he heated up another cup of tea. There was something different about him than the others. He had a darkness that he carried with him everywhere he went. Faith didn't think the others saw it, but she did. She could see it in his eyes at times; when he didn't think anyone was looking. Something haunted him.

"Here you go," Giles said, bringing the tea out to her. Faith smiled her thanks at him and wrapped her hands around the mug, warming her fingers. "The others should arrive here shortly. I'll explain to them what's happened."

"Thanks," Faith said sincerely. It had been hard enough for her to explain what happened the first time; she didn't want to have to do it again. Giles seemed to understand that.

"So, if you don't mind my asking, what happened to your Watcher?" Giles asked, noticing a look of pain flash in her eyes.

"When he came to town, Kate was kinda freaked. I mean, Kakistos is old as hell; he has these cloven hands and feet. But she thought I could take him on. So I tried one night. I didn't kill him, but I slashed his eye out. Needless to say that put him off me. He found us one night and took us captive," Faith said, then looked down at the table. Giles wanted to stop her as he could see the memories were incredibly painful for her, but he knew that she needed to talk about what had happened. If she kept those memories bottled up, she would never be able to get over the experience.

"He wanted me to suffer for what I had done to him, so he tortured Kate right in front of me…did horrific things to her," Faith said, involuntarily shivering. "He killed her, but I managed to escape. He's been following me ever since, trying to finish his revenge. I guess he thought that by taking Xander, he would get to me."

"Why would he think that?" Giles asked, wondering about the extent of her and Xander's relationship. He couldn't say that he had seen them together very often, but he wasn't aware of what his charges did when they left his watchful eyes.

"I don't know," Faith said. "I mean, me and Xander just hung out a little."

"I imagine Kakistos would only need to see you and Xander together to assume that he was friend of yours. He is, of course?" Giles asked. Faith shrugged.

"Yeah, I guess. I've never really had friends," Faith said a bit regretfully.

"I know what you mean," Giles replied. Faith looked up at him. "There's a great difference between people you would call friends and people you spend time with simply to have company. I just hope you know that you have friends here, Faith…if you give us a chance."

Faith smiled. She was about to respond when Willow, Buffy, Oz, and Cordelia wandered into the library. "Hey, Giles. What's the what?" Buffy asked, smiling at Faith. Faith nodded back. Giles looked over at her and noticed that her walls were back up. Gradually, as he had been talking to her, he noticed that Faith was slowly dropping her defenses, whether consciously or no, she had let him see her true self. Giles saw a troubled, haunted, and utterly lost girl there – one who was much younger than she portrayed and much more fragile than she would ever admit.

"We have a situation that needs our immediate attention," Giles said, falling back into Watcher mode. Faith noticed his walls go back up as well. When he had been talking with her, he spoke to her as a friend instead of as an authority figure. Faith imagined that was why it seemed easier to talk to him about the things that were bothering her than she had anticipated. But when the others came into the room, his voice took an entirely different tone – one of compassionate authority.

"What's wrong?" Willow asked as the group gathered around the table where Faith and Giles were sitting and sat with them.

"There's a very old, very dangerous vampire in Sunnydale. His name is Kakistos. He just recently arrived here. Unfortunately, he followed Faith from Boston. He and Faith have some bad blood between them and he's looking for vengeance," Giles explained.

"So? We just kill the vamp, end of story, right?" Buffy asked.

"Not entirely. Kakistos has taken Xander hostage," Giles replied. Faith watched the others react to the news. Willow and Buffy both looked devastated. Oz was impassive, as usual. Concern briefly flashed over Cordelia's eyes, but faded. Maybe Xander was right when he told her that Cordelia was more embarrassed of him than anything. Her reaction seemed to indicate that while she had some genuine feelings for Xander, she was too embarrassed to reveal those feelings for fear that she would somehow be humiliated.

"We need to find out where Kakistos is staying. Faith, Buffy, I want you both to go to Willy's and see if you can't find out some useful information. If that proves a wash, we'll have to think of something else," Giles instructed.

"How do we know that Xander isn't already dead?" Oz asked.

"Kakistos didn't take Xander simply to kill him. I have a feeling that Xander is very much alive, but he won't be for long. We have to find him soon," Giles responded.

"We will," Buffy said, looking directly at Willow. Faith thought it odd that Buffy would console Willow instead of Cordelia. "You ready to go hit up Willy's?" Buffy asked, looking over at Faith.

Faith smiled and pulled herself to her feet. "Let's go."


	8. Bar nuts

The Quickening

Notes: Review!!! Thanks.

Previously:

"You ready to go hit up Willy's?" Buffy asked, looking over at Faith.

Faith smiled and pulled herself to her feet. "Let's go."

Chapter Seven:

"So, Xander…you think he'll be okay?" Faith asked nonchalantly as she and Buffy walked down the street, heading toward Willy's bar. Buffy was skipping her homeroom period for their excursion, though she didn't look like she particularly minded skipping out on it. It seemed to Faith that it been years since she last sat in a classroom, though it hadn't been that long. In fact, she had dropped out of high school less than a year before. Shortly after she found out she was the slayer, she stopped going to classes because they interfered with her training. She had a purpose, a meaning to her life, and she wasn't going to waste it. Where she grew up, school didn't matter much in the grand scheme of things. Though Faith pretended that she wasn't as smart as everyone else was, she was actually quite intelligent and had been an exemplary student before she quit.

"You're really concerned about him aren't you?" Buffy asked in surprise.

"No," Faith said quickly. Buffy looked over at her dubiously. "Okay, maybe a little," Faith admitted. "It's just, I know what Kakistos is capable of. I don't want what happened to my Watcher to happen to him."

"I thought your Watcher was on retreat," Buffy said, stopping in the middle of the sidewalk. Faith mentally kicked herself.

"Giles didn't tell you?" She asked. Giles had already known about her Watcher when she entered the library that morning. She had naturally assumed he would tell Buffy right away. Apparently, she was wrong.

"Tell me what," Buffy stated.

"Let's keep walking," Faith said, moving on. Buffy grabbed her by the arm and stopped her.

"Not until you tell me exactly what's going on. Obviously Giles has been keeping me out of the loop on some things. Understandable. But this involves one of my best friends, so you're going to tell me everything right now," Buffy demanded. Faith stood her ground, staring Buffy in the eyes. She hated when people tried to tell her what to do.

"Or you'll what?" Faith drew out. Buffy looked at her sharply.

"Do you really want to go there?" Buffy asked.

"In case you didn't notice, this isn't about you," Faith said. "It's about Xander. Not the fact that your precious feelings got hurt because Giles chose not to be your little bitch this time around." Before Faith knew what hit her, Buffy had slapped her across the face. She could feel the sting of the older slayer's hand burning in her cheek. Reaching up, Faith gingerly touched the spot of impact. Then she smiled. "Nice shot," she sneered before turning on her heel and continuing down the sidewalk.

"Don't walk away from me, Faith!" Buffy yelled after her. Faith turned back, her face a portrait of calm.

"How about you try to keep up? We have things to do," she replied. She started walking again, but smiled. She could almost see Buffy stomping her feet angrily, trying to decide whether to follow after her. Finally, she heard the older slayer's footsteps behind her and Buffy caught up to her, matching her pace.

"We're going to talk about this later," Buffy said moodily.

"Whatever you say," Faith replied. "This the place?" She asked, looking up at the sign above the bar.

"Yeah," Buffy replied. "It does say Willy's after all."

"Well, isn't someone in a snit," Faith responded. Buffy turned back to her menacingly. Faith threw up her hands in a gesture of peace. "After you," she said smiling as Buffy stomped through the door.

"Willy," she heard Buffy say as she entered the bar. It was dark inside, smoky, like most bars, and a foul stench arose from the various clientele seated around the place. Faith noticed at once that they were all demons.

"Hey," she said, catching Buffy's arm and whispering to her. "This is a demon bar?"

"Yeah," Buffy replied.

"Why haven't you gotten rid of it? Isn't this like a menace to society?" Faith asked.

"Aren't you?" Buffy sarcastically replied. Faith rolled her eyes. "As much as I hate this place, it does us more good being here. Willy is often a vital source of information," she said loudly enough for Willy to hear. "Aren't you Willy?"

"Hey, girls," Willy said nervously. "You must be the new slayer, huh? Prettier than the last one, I mean, she was hot. Don't get me wrong. Had that exotic thing going on," Willy rambled.

"Do you have a point?" Faith asked angrily.

"Not so much," Willy replied.

"We need some information," Buffy said, getting back to point. "I'm gonna ask nicely just this once. After that, there's gonna to be lots of pain. Can you guess who's gonna be feeling it?"

"Probably me," Willy said, wiping his hands with a bar towel. "Let's go in the back, yeah?" Turning, he motioned for them to follow. Buffy and Faith both looked at each other before walking after him.

"Don't want the customers do know you're a little snitch?" Faith asked.

"Oh, they already know that," Willy replied. "No use rubbin' it in their faces, know what I mean?"

"Kakistos," Buffy said. "We need to know where he's staying."

"Whoa, you don't want to mess with that guy. You may be the slayer and all – well, you both – but he's one tough son of a bitch, that one," Willy replied.

"We already know that," Faith interrupted. "Just tell us where he's staying or I'll have to start breakin' things."

"Fine, fine," Willy replied, somewhat reluctantly. "He's in this warehouse, couple blocks up from the Sunnydale Motor Lodge. Big, abandoned place. You can't miss it, really. That's all I know."

"Think he's telling the truth?" Faith asked Buffy. Buffy looked at him fidgeting for a moment before nodding.

"Thanks, Willy. Love what you've done with the place," Buffy said. Then she and Faith walked out, heading toward the front door. They both breathed a sigh of relief once they were out in the fresh, afternoon air.

"That place gives me the creeps," Faith said suddenly. "I felt like a live wire in there."

"Slayer senses going off the charts?" Buffy asked. "I know what you mean. Being in a room full of demons, kinda makes you want to get all violent."

"Yeah, something like that," Faith replied. "So what's the plan?"

"The plan? Go back and tell Giles what Willy told us," Buffy responded.

"You're kidding, right? Why wait? Let's go do this now," Faith said. Though she was loath to see Kakistos again, she was worried what he might be doing to Xander. She knew that every second they wasted Xander was one second closer to potential death. Even though she and Xander weren't particularly close, the thought of having an actual friend for once in her life was appealing. She didn't want to lose that chance.

"No way in hell," Buffy said sternly. "Look, if this Kakistos guy is anything that Giles made him out to be, we're gonna need backup."

"From who? Willow? Oz? What are they gonna do, Buffy?" Faith asked in frustration.

"This is how we do things here," Buffy said. "If you want in, than you follow the rules. Otherwise, you might as well just go back to Boston."

Faith watched as Buffy walked away, heading back to the high school to report to Giles. Even though every ounce of her being was telling her to go the opposite direction and save Xander, she reluctantly followed after the older slayer. Buffy was right; if she wanted to be part of the group, she would have to make some compromises. She had never been much of a team player and rules hadn't held much sway for her. But when she looked at Buffy and her friends, she felt a pang of jealousy spark in her heart. She wanted what they had and if she could get it by doing things Buffy's way some of the time, she'd make a few concessions. "Alright," she said, walking after her. "We'll do things your way this time around."


	9. Facing Fears

The Quickening

Previously:

Faith had never been much of a team player and rules hadn't held much sway for her. But when she looked at Buffy and her friends, she felt a pang of jealousy spark in her heart. She wanted what they had and if she could get it by doing things Buffy's way some of the time, she'd make a few concessions. "Alright," she said, walking after her. "We'll do things your way this time around."

Chapter Eight:

_Faith pulled against the chains holding her to the wall. The room was dark and dank, but she could make out the figures of Kakistos and Kate through the haze that had settled on her mind. She could feel a trickle of blood running down the side of her face. She wanted to reach up and wipe it away, but she couldn't. A scream ripped through the warehouse. "Leave her alone!" Faith yelled. Her throat was raw from yelling and she strained against the chains again. _

_"I know you're excited, but I'll get to you soon enough," Kakistos's voice rumbled out. _

_"If you touch her again…" Faith warned. Kakistos appeared in front of her. Faith suppressed an involuntary shudder. The side of his face where his eye had been was ripped open and oozing. _

_"You'll what?" Kakistos asked, leaning in. She could feel his hot breath on her cheek. It smelled rotten. "Stake me? You're chained to the wall, little girl. You can't do anything. Face it…you're helpless."_

Faith shot up in bed, sweat pouring off her body. Closing her eyes, she wiped her face. She felt like she couldn't breathe and icy fear clutched her heart. She knew in just a few hours, she would have to face Kakistos, the vampire that had taken away one of the few people she had loved in her life. The last time she had seen him, she had frozen in fear, unable to fight him, unable to save her Watcher. She feared she would have the same reaction when she and the others went to save Xander. She already blamed herself for Kate's death; she didn't want to have to blame herself for anyone else's.

Looking out of the grimy, motel room window, she sighed. The late afternoon sun slanted in through the cracked blinds, lighting up the foot of the bed. The rest of the room lay in shadows. She had left the high school shortly after she and Buffy reported to Giles what they found out from Willy. She left under the pretence that she had places to be, but really, but just wanted to be alone. Although the others bought her excuse, she knew Giles could see right through her. He knew she was afraid, but he also knew that she needed to work out her fear on her own.

Rising to her feet, Faith grabbed some clothes and went into the bathroom to shower and change. Once she was done, she shoved a stake in her waistband, slung her jacket around her shoulders, and grabbed her keys. The sun was starting to go down. She knew she had overslept. She was supposed to meet the others in the library when school let out. It was nearing five o'clock, however. Opening her motel room door, she closed it behind her and locked it. A cold breeze was blowing and she buttoned up her jacket.

But the breeze wasn't the only thing that chilled her. Every step closer to the high school reminded her of what she had to do that night, what she had to face. Finally, the school loomed in front of her. The streetlights popped on. Faith walked up to the front door and slipped inside. She smiled, knowing that Giles had left the door unlocked for her. It amazed her that the high school didn't have a security patrol. Her old school in Boston had security guards patrolling the halls and metal detectors at the door. But then, Sunnydale wasn't as overtly violent as South Boston had been, despite its high death rate for a small town.

"Hey," Faith said as she wandered into the library.

"You're late," Buffy said moodily. "We should have left by now."

"Chill, the sun hasn't even set yet," Faith said.

"Have you looked out of the window?" Willow asked. "It's dark out."

"We'll be fine," Giles said sternly. "We shouldn't be too eager anyway."

"Shouldn't be too eager? This bastard has Xander," Buffy reiterated.

"Buffy, why don't you and the others get ready? We'll be leaving soon," Giles said. Then he turned to face Faith. "Can I speak to you in my office, please?"

Faith had a sinking feeling in her stomach as she followed Giles into his office. She knew this was it. All of his kindness and compassion before had been a fluke. He must have figured out that the others would be better without her around. He was probably going to tell her to pack her things and leave as soon as Kakistos was gone and Xander had been saved. "What's up, boss?" Faith asked jokingly to belie her anxiety.

Giles turned and took off his glasses. He quickly cleaned them and put them back on. With every second that ticked by, Faith felt like she was going to jump out of her skin. "Are you alright?" Giles suddenly asked. Faith could practically hear the sincerity dripping in his voice.

"What?" Faith asked in surprise.

"Are you alright?" Giles repeated. "I know you and Kakistos have a rather traumatic past. I'm sure this night is going to be incredibly stressful. I just want to make sure you're up to it."

"I'm sorry," Faith said, still slightly shocked. "I thought you were gonna blow me off. You just wanna see if I'm okay?" Giles smiled softly.

"That's all," he replied. While he knew that Faith had trust issues, he didn't think they were as deeply rooted as they obviously were.

"I'm five by five," Faith replied.

"What exactly does that mean?" Giles asked. "You Americans and all your bloody slang. I swear half of it doesn't make any sense." Faith laughed. "It's not funny," Giles stressed. "I have no idea what any of you are saying most of the time."

"I'll break it down for ya then, G. I'm fine," Faith said, smiling.

"Okay. Good," Giles replied. "Then I suggest we get on our way. We don't have much time to spare."

"I agree," Faith said as Giles led her back out of the office. "We ready?" Faith asked.

"Been ready long before you even got here," Buffy mumbled.

"Let's go then," Giles said, choosing to ignore her. Faith chose to do the same. The group began the walk to the warehouse. Buffy was carrying a bag of weapons. She was walking ahead with the others. Giles walked behind them and Faith strayed behind him. Her feet grew heavier as they got closer to the warehouse. Giles looked back at her.

"Still five by five?" He asked.

"You know it," Faith stated.

"Good. But just in case you're not…everything is going to be okay," Giles said. Faith looked up at him, her eyes shining gratefully. Kate had been the last person to try to comfort her. Though she usually rejected comfort from anyone because it seemed to her like pity, she was grateful that he cared enough to try.

"I know," Faith said.

"We're here," Buffy announced. Faith stopped walking and looked up at the warehouse. Her breath caught in her throat. Giles gently put his hand on her shoulder.

"This is what being a slayer is all about," he whispered. "Facing your fears and overcoming them. But you're not alone this time. We can help you."

"Let's get this done," Faith said with conviction. Then she grabbed an ax out of Buffy's weapons bag and strode forward to face her greatest enemy.


	10. Saving Grace

The Quickening

Previously:

"This is what being a slayer is all about," Giles whispered. "Facing your fears and overcoming them. But you're not alone this time. We can help you."

"Let's get this done," Faith said with conviction. Then she grabbed an ax out of Buffy's weapons bag and strode forward to face her greatest enemy.

Chapter Nine:

Faith kicked open the door of the warehouse. It was dark inside, but her eyes instantly adjusted. "Ah, Faith," Kakistos' rumbled out of the shadows. "I was wondering when you would show up." Faith gripped the handle of her ax tighter. She could feel the fear starting to creep up her limbs, turning her blood cold.

"It's not just Faith this time, big boy," Buffy said, stepping up next to her. "You messed with the wrong people."

"The other slayer," Kakistos commented, walking out to face them. "I heard that you died. Shouldn't be too hard to kill you again, I imagine."

"Why don't you find out," Buffy said. Then she turned and whispered to Faith, "Find Xander."

Faith nodded. Buffy approached Kakistos. Looking around the room, Faith's eyes eventually rested on Xander. He was chained to a pipe in the corner. Faith could see blood running down his face, but his eyes were open. "Over here!" Xander yelled through the cloth Kakistos had bound his mouth with. Faith sprinted over to him and knelt down beside him.

"You okay?" She asked as she ripped the gag off his mouth.

"Never better," Xander joked. "I kinda like getting kidnapped by ugly ass vampires."

"Don't we all," Faith replied and smiled. "I can't get these chains," she said as she pulled on the chains, trying to break Xander free. "Hold still." Faith stood and lifted the ax.

"Wait a second," Xander said, his eyes wide. "I'm not so sure I like this plan."

"Would you rather stay here?" Faith asked. Xander shook his head. "Okay, close your eyes if you don't want to watch." Xander instantly closed his eyes and Faith smirked. Lifting the ax over her head, she swung it down with all of her might. It clanged against the chains, the sound reverberating through the warehouse.

Across the room, Kakistos heard the ax hitting the chains and turned to look at Faith. Growling, he swung his arm out, connecting with the side of Buffy's face. Then he began walking toward Faith. Buffy landed against the opposite wall, stars exploding in front of her eyes. "I almost have it," Faith said, lifting the ax again. She was about to swing it when something lifted her off the ground. Faith dropped the ax and struggled against the cloven hands that gripped her around the waist, squeezing the breath out of her lungs.

"No!" Faith growled out, struggling to breath. Xander opened his eyes and looked down at the chains binding his hands. They were cracked, almost broken. Standing, Xander strained against the chains. He could feel them breaking. Blood ran down his wrists from where the metal cut into his skin, but he kept pulling. Finally, the chains broke and Xander fell forward. He caught himself just before he hit the ground. Looking up, he noticed the ax lying a few feet away.

Rushing over to it, he lifted it up. Buffy had charged Kakistos again, but he had knocked her out of the way. Across the room, Giles held a loaded crossbow in his hands, but he couldn't get a shot. Kakistos made sure to keep Faith between himself and the weapon. While Oz, Cordelia, and Willow had come along for the ride, they couldn't do much against a vampire as strong as Kakistos. Xander remembered other vampires being in the warehouse, but he didn't notice them now. He assumed they fled when Buffy and Faith burst in.

Lifting the ax in his hands, Xander looked down at it. He had played tee ball when he was younger and despite his general lack of talent, he could swing fairly well. "Here goes nothing," he said. Then he ran forward, lifting the ax as he went, and swung with all of his might at Kakistos' head. The ax connected with the back of the vampire's neck and sliced through it. Faith could feel Kakistos' arms suddenly go limp as her eyes started to roll into the back of her head. Then she was falling. She landed on the concrete floor of the warehouse and started coughing. Her lungs strained and burned as she breathed.

"Hey, I did it," Xander said happily when Kakistos burst into dust. Dropping the ax, he moved over to Faith and helped her to her feet. "You okay?" He asked. Faith nodded.

"Five by five," she said, her voice raspy. "Let's get outta here, huh?" Xander smiled and nodded.

"Nice job," Buffy commented as the group left the warehouse. "I didn't know you had it in ya," she said, playfully smacking Xander on the arm.

"What can I say? I'm just full of surprises," he responded.

"How's your head?" Cordelia asked, moving over to him. Reaching up, she wiped some blood away from his eyebrow.

"I'll live," he said softly. Cordelia smiled. "I'm glad you came."

"Well, cheerleading let out early," she said and looked away. Silence fell between the group as they walked back to the library. Once they were there, they put the weapons away and said their goodbyes. It was agreed that Buffy would escort the others home just in case any of Kakistos' minions felt the need to avenge his death. Faith quietly slipped out of the library without anyone noticing and began to walk home to the motel. She hadn't gotten too far from the high school when she heard someone running up behind her. Turning, she saw Xander.

"Hey," he said, out of breath.

"Hey," Faith responded. "Shouldn't you be heading home with Buffy and the others?"

"Yeah," Xander replied. "I just wanted to say thanks."

"For what? Almost getting you killed? Yeah, you're welcome," Faith sarcastically replied and continued walking.

"You saved me," Xander replied, following her.

"No, you saved me. If it hadn't been for me, you wouldn't have gotten kidnapped in the first place," Faith responded angrily.

"Oh, I get it. I can't save you because you're the slayer, right? And a slayer isn't allowed to need other people," Xander said in annoyance.

"Damn straight," Faith said, turning to face him. "I don't need anyone. Not you, not Buffy, not Giles, no one. The only person I need is me. The sooner you get that through your head, the better off you'll be," Faith said, her voice rising in anger.

"That's bullshit and you know it," Xander replied. "I get that you've only had yourself. I get that no one has cared enough to look out for you. I understand that. You and me, we aren't all that different, Faith. If it hadn't been for Willow and the others, I would be exactly like you. But you have people that care about you now, so the sooner you get _that_ through your head, the better off _you'll_ be," Xander yelled back.

Faith stared at him for a moment. She hadn't expected him to have the courage to yell back at her. She could see something in his eyes as she looked at him, something she had never seen before. Stepping closer to him, she reached up and rested her fingertips against the cut on his head. "Does that hurt?" She asked when he pulled back slightly.

"No," he said. "Not anymore." Faith nodded. Then she leaned forward and captured his lips with her own. She held the kiss for a couple of seconds, smiling when she felt Xander kiss her back. Then she pulled away and stepped back.

"What was that for?" Xander asked, a goofy grin plastered on his face.

"Well, you did save my life tonight," Faith replied. "I guess I owe you one." Smiling, she turned and started walking down the street. "See you tomorrow, X," she called back. Xander smiled and touched his lips.

"Definitely," he softly replied, his words getting lost in the breeze.

"You ready?" Buffy called as she and the others came walking out of the high school. Xander threw one last look back at Faith and turned to his friends. "Yeah, let's go."

A pair of eyes watched the group walk away, laughing and talking. Trick stepped out into the light as they faded into darkness. "Well, isn't that interesting," he said to himself.

"What are we gonna do now?" Another vampire asked, stepping out behind him.

"We're gonna pay a visit to City Hall," Trick said, turning to face him. "I hear this administration is particularly friendly to our kind of people. Besides, I have an idea I think the mayor will find quite intriguing."


	11. That Kind of Girl

The Quickening

Notes: Yay for snow. Thanks for the reviews.

Previously:

"Well, you did save my life tonight," Faith replied. "I guess I owe you one." Smiling, she turned and started walking down the street. "See you tomorrow, X," she called back. Xander smiled and touched his lips.

Chapter Ten:

Allan Finch stood outside of the Mayor's office with a folder in his hand. He had some interesting news – news that should have been delivered to the Mayor days ago. The Mayor always made Allan nervous, though he wasn't sure why. Richard Wilkins was a terrific boss to have. He was always polite and kind. However, there was something about him that just put Allan on edge. Taking a deep breath, Allan raised his hand, curled his fingers into a fist, and gently knocked on the Mayor's office door.

"Come in," he heard the Mayor's voice ring out pleasantly. Allan opened the door and shuffled nervously inside the office. However, he didn't see the Mayor anywhere when he looked around the room.

"Sir?" He asked, his voice seeming to ring out much louder than he expected.

"Allan," the Mayor said, stepping out of his private washroom, drying his hands.

"I'm sorry to interrupt you, sir," Allan began clumsily.

"You haven't interrupted me, Allan. Please, go on," the Mayor said, walking around behind his desk and sitting down.

"Well, this probably should have been brought to your attention days ago, sir, but these individuals were spotted in town recently," Allan said, flipping open the folder and laying it on the desk before the Mayor. "Frederick and Hans Gruenstahler. Both are wanted in Germany for capital murder and terrorism, among other crimes. Like I said, I should have brought this to your attention days ago, but" –

"May I see your hands, Allan?" The Mayor asked as he sniffed several times. Allan stopped mid sentence and stared at him.

"I'm sorry. What?" Allan asked.

"May I see your hands?" The Mayor asked again politely. Allan nodded and nervously placed his hands palm down on the Mayor's desk. The Mayor leaned forward slowly and inspected his Deputy Mayor's hands. Allan shifted.

"They could be cleaner," the Mayor noted.

"Thank you, sir," Allan said, pulling his hands away. "I'll make sure to get on top of this right away," he finished, motioning to the file still lying on the desk. He walked out of the office and closed the door behind him, exhaling loudly. The Mayor pulled the file closer and began to read it. He already knew about the Gruenstahler brothers' arrival in Sunnydale. Mr. Trick had so graciously informed him about his Slayerfest plan to trap and kill the slayers. It would all begin very soon.

…………………………

Faith shoved her training clothes in her duffel bag and zipped it up. "See ya later, G," she said, slinging the bag over her shoulder. Giles poked his head out of his office.

"Right, tomorrow then," he said as she waved over her shoulder and pushed the library doors open. Faith had just finished training with Buffy. The work out had been good and Buffy had agreed to hang with Faith at the upcoming Homecoming dance. Faith wasn't entirely sure why she had asked Buffy if she wanted to go and hang out, but she had a vague notion as to her reasoning. She hadn't seen Xander since he saved her life and she kissed him outside of the school. It had only been two days, but she wanted to see him, though she wouldn't admit it to anyone. She hardly admitted it to herself.

Faith wasn't a school dance type of girl. But, she knew she would get to see Xander there, even if he was with Cordelia. Faith sighed, entirely disgusted with herself. She had never gone out of her way to be around a guy before. Usually, the guys would go out of their way, if only just to get into her pants. She could deal with that, but she couldn't deal with Xander constantly being on her mind. Faith pushed open the school's side exit doors and walked outside. The sun was shining brightly. The school day had ended a few minutes ago and students were milling about the campus aimlessly.

She had just reached the parking lot when she heard someone call out her name. "Faith!" Faith turned and looked back to see Xander jogging toward her.

"Déjà vu," she muttered to herself and shifted her bag on her shoulder. "What's up?" She asked when Xander slowed to a stop in front of her.

"Nothing," Xander said, smiling. "Just saw you walking, thought I'd say hey."

"Well, you said it," Faith said, turning. She started walking. However, she noticed this time, Xander didn't walk after her. Turning, she looked back at him.

"If you expect me to follow you around everywhere, it's not gonna happen," Xander said, shoving his hands in his pockets. "I do that everyday with Cordelia."

"Are you even comparing me to Cordelia?" Faith asked incredulously.

"No," Xander said, laughing. "I'm not that cruel."

"Why do you stay with her if you hate her so much?" Faith asked, her curiosity getting the better of her.

"I don't hate her. She can be nice when she wants to be. When she is, she's a pretty cool person to hang around. I can't break up with her though. I mean, I'm Xander Harris, the loser of Sunnydale High," Xander explained.

"She wants to save face, she's gotta break up with you," Faith finished, finally understanding. Xander did care about Cordelia. Maybe even on some level he loved her, but he wasn't in love with her. He wanted what was best for Cordelia, even at the expense of himself, because he was a good friend.

"Exactly," Xander replied. "So I was gonna walk home. Cordy's doing all that Homecoming queen campaign crap. So I'm walking this way, if you wanna follow after me for a change," Xander said, smiling rather smugly.

Faith stared after him incredulously for several long seconds. She knew he would turn back, she just knew it. However, after several seconds, when Xander started to fade into the distance without even looking in any direction but straight ahead, Faith frowned. "Hey, wait up!" She called after him. Xander smiled and stopped walking. Once Faith had caught up with him, he started walking.

"So, you going to the dance?" Xander asked as they walked. He was expecting a negative reply, as Faith didn't really seem like the dance type.

"Yeah," Faith said shrugging absently. "Figured I'd go, see how you all party out here in Cali."

"Well, I think you'll be a bit disappointed," Xander said laughing. "Who're you going with?" Faith wasn't sure, but she thought she heard a hint of jealousy in his voice when he asked that question. But, there was also a hint of hope.

"Buffy, actually," Faith replied. "Scott ditched her this morning, so I thought we'd go and hang; check out the local male population. Hook her up maybe."

"How generous," Xander cracked.

"What can I say? I'm a giver," Faith retorted.

"And of course there's nothing self serving in that scenario," Xander replied.

"Well, what of it?" Faith asked, looking over at him.

"Nothing," Xander responded, a little too quickly.

"Right," Faith replied. "And that wouldn't bother you at all? If I found some random loser that goes to your school and screwed his brains out for the night?"

"Of course it would bother me," Xander replied, looking over at her.

"And why's that?" Faith asked. She hadn't noticed where they were walking until they stopped in front of Xander's house.

"Because you deserve better than that," Xander sincerely replied. Faith looked up at him, surprised. She hadn't been expecting that answer.

"Oh really? So what do I deserve?" Faith asked, a slight mocking tone in her voice. Xander chose to ignore it.

"You deserve someone who actually cares about whether you make it home alive at night. Someone who will pick you up when you can't do it yourself. Someone who will be there when you wake up," Xander replied.

"Yeah? Well maybe I don't want all that," Faith shot back.

"Maybe you don't. I could be wrong, but deep inside," Xander said, reaching forward and brushing a lock of her hair behind her ear, "I think you do."

Faith watched as he walked up the sidewalk and disappeared into his house. Turning, she ran a hand through her hair, letting it fall wildly around her shoulders. "Shit," she muttered to herself. If she didn't know any better, she would have thought she was falling for Xander Harris.


	12. Homecoming

The Quickening

Previously:

"So, you going to the dance?" Xander asked as they walked. He was expecting a negative reply, as Faith didn't really seem like the dance type.

"Yeah," Faith said shrugging absently. "Figured I'd go, see how you all party out here in Cali."

Chapter Eleven:

Faith sat by the bar at the Bronze waiting for Buffy to show up. Thus far, she hadn't seen anyone she knew, save Scott Hope and his latest bimbo. She had never had any wonderful experiences with guys, but she knew that Buffy had been hoping for more out of her relationship with Scott than to be ditched at the first sign of trouble. Faith had half a mind to go over to him and screw up his night. Smiling suddenly, she threw back the rest of her shot; courtesy of the fake ID she still had from Boston.

Rising from her chair, she sauntered over to Scott and his date. She reached out and quickly tapped him on the shoulder. "Hey, good news," she said, smiling widely. "The doctor says that the itching and swelling and burning should clear up real soon," Faith said, gesturing wildly. "But we gotta keep using the ointment." Faith smiled as Scott looked nervously over at his date, who had turned quite pale. "See ya," she finished with a wink and then sauntered back over to the bar.

"You just totally ruined his night," Xander said, appearing next to her out of the crowd.

"Well, that was the point," Faith said. "Want a drink?"

"I'm kinda underage and all," Xander replied.

"Hasn't stopped me before," Faith responded as she ordered two more shots from the bartender. "Live a little, X."

Xander smirked and took the drink. Faith raised the glass to her mouth and tipped it back, letting the liquid slide down her throat. Then she set the glass back down on the bar and smiled, raising her eyebrow at Xander. Xander raised the glass to his lips and tipped it back as well. Faith had to stifle her laughter when his face turned bright red. "What is that?" He asked, grimacing, sputtering slightly.

"It's a little friend I like to call Jack Daniels," Faith replied. "It's not for everyone."

"Obviously," Xander said. "So, where's your date?"

"Where's yours?" Faith retorted. Thus far, Buffy and Cordelia hadn't shown up for the dance.

"Good question. So, it seems that at this particular point in time, we're both dateless," Xander pointed out significantly.

"It would appear so," Faith replied nonchalantly.

"Wanna dance?" Xander suddenly blurted out. Faith looked over at him.

"It's a slow song," she stated.

"Right. So I guess that's a no, which is cool," Xander rambled. For some reason quite unknown to her, Faith suddenly felt bad about turning him down. After all, she had come to the dance mostly just to see him. Yet, here she was making him feel like an idiot for thinking that she was into him. Faith frowned, knowing that she had just nailed the ultimate question. Was she into him? Physically, Xander was attractive in a goofy, stumbling kind of way. Faith could tell that he was a good friend to the people he cared about, but she had never wanted to be anything more than a one-night stand to most guys she met. However, when she looked at Xander, she knew she wouldn't want just a one-night stand with him and that thought scared her.

For the majority of her life, she had been forced to depend on herself for everything. Her mother had never cared enough to prepare meals for her or make sure she got to school on time. Faith did everything for herself. The idea of having a relationship with someone meant dependency to Faith. Though she vaguely liked the idea of not having to be the strong one all of the time, she didn't want to give up control of her life. But as she looked at Xander's face fall when she all but said no, she suddenly felt the desire to comfort him, which was completely alien to her nature.

"What the hell," she muttered to herself. "So, slow dance, huh?" She said, jumping up from her seat at the bar. "Can't be that bad, right?" Xander smiled and Faith felt her heart suddenly warm at the thought that she had made him smile. Following Xander out onto the dance floor, she smiled slightly when his hands rested on her hips. Moving closer to him, she let her body take over, swaying in rhythm with the music. She could feel the warmth of Xander's body pressing against hers and the smell of his cologne filled her senses, but something else was nagging at the back of her mind.

Faith stiffened and turned, looking back over her shoulder. "What is it?" Xander asked, following her line of sight.

"Vampire," Faith spat out. "Convenient timing too. Look, I have to go handle this," she said almost apologetically. Xander nodded.

"It's cool. I'll be here when you get back," Xander replied.

"Is it the mission of every demon in this God forsaken town to screw me over?" Faith muttered to herself as she fished a stake out of her boots and slipped out of one of the side exits of the Bronze. "Hey!" She called to the vampire, who was leading a female student away. "Got a minute?" She asked as the vampire turned around.

"Slayer," he hissed. "You're not supposed to be here."

"What does that mean? I can't have a little fun? I know…I know, I'm not the school dance type. But seriously, get over it," Faith ranted, obviously annoyed.

"What are you talking about?" The vampire asked, letting go of his grip on the girl, who was looking around confused.

"Uh, what's going on? Who's this bitch?" The girl asked, looking at Faith with obvious disdain.

"Excuse me? Bitch? I'm about to save your life and you're calling me a bitch?" Faith asked incredulously. "I don't know why I even do this."

"Get outta here," the vampire growled over at the girl. "Something better just dropped into my lap."

"What?" The girl screeched, about to argue.

"Take him up on the offer. Get lost," Faith said menacingly. The girl looked like she was about to stomp her feet and pout, but thought better of it, and ran back into the Bronze. "So what's all this about me not being here?"

"Slayerfest. You're supposed to be at Slayerfest," the vampire said. "They said we'd have our pick of this place tonight."

"Well, _they_ were wrong," Faith said, slightly confused. "Look, I have places to be, so let's just get this over with." The vampire rushed forward, only to be met with Faith's fist slamming into his face. He stumbled back and she capitalized on his moment of weakness by kicking his legs out from under him. Pouncing on top of him, she whipped back her stake and plunged it deep into his chest. The vampire looked stunned for a moment before he exploded into dust.

Faith rose to her feet and looked around. "Slayerfest. What the hell is that?" She muttered to herself before walking into the Bronze. A couple of people had taken the stage and were about to announce the Homecoming queen. Faith looked around for Xander, but found that someone else had located him first, two people in fact. Cordelia and Buffy were on other side of him, both looking as if they had taken the idea of loving nature a bit too far. Faith sighed and watched Xander smile over at Cordelia, trying to reassure her that she would win, without angering the slayer on his other side at the same time.

Before she could stifle it, Faith felt a pang of jealousy stir up in her chest. "What am I even doing here?" She asked herself in disgust. She thought that she could fit in with Buffy and her friends. But she was just deluding herself. They didn't care if she was there or not and Xander had only come over to her because he was alone. But his friends were all there now and he obviously didn't need her. It didn't take much for Faith to see that there wasn't a place for her with them.

"Hey," a guy said walking up to her. "How's it going?" He asked, smiling brightly. Faith looked him over. While he didn't seem to possess an ounce of intelligence as far as she could tell, he was fairly easy on the eyes. Smiling, she realized that fate had just dumped the perfect way to get over Xander Harris and his friends right into her lap.

"Well, I'd be better if we could find someplace a little more private to get to know each other, if you know what I mean," Faith said in her Boston drawl that always seemed to melt members of the opposite sex. The guy nodded and motioned to the door.

"My place?" He asked. Faith nodded and he led her out. She had just disappeared out of the door, throwing a last look back at Xander, when he turned, feeling someone's eyes pass over him. He didn't see anyone so he shrugged the feeling off and smiled over at Cordelia, despite the cold detachment he felt coming off her in waves. It used to bother him that she was so callous towards him, but lately, he didn't care. Something, or someone rather, had seemed to carve out a place for herself in his heart, a place that was growing bigger everyday.

"Where is Faith?" He whispered low enough for no one to hear. The Homecoming winners were announced, neither of which were Buffy or Cordelia. The two girls turned and stormed out before he could offer his condolences, leaving only Willow and Oz left. "Well, that went well," he said somewhat sarcastically. Even though his friends were still there, he felt more lonely than he had in a long time. Every time his eyes would land on a brunette similar to Faith, his heart would start racing, thinking that it was her. But then he would realize that it wasn't. Dejectedly, he said goodbye to his friends and left the Bronze to walk home.


	13. When it Rains

The Quickening

Notes: Thanks for the reviews. Also, I would have updated sooner, but I've slept through the majority of the passed two days. Anyway, here's the latest chapter.

Previously:

"My place?" He asked. Faith nodded and he led her out. She had just disappeared out of the door, throwing a last look back at Xander, when he turned, feeling someone's eyes pass over him.

Chapter Twelve:

It was raining outside. Faith sat by the window in John or Ryan or Andy's apartment – she wasn't entirely sure he had even given her his name in the rush of the moment – and watched the rain draw lines down the glass. Lightening lit up the sky for a brief moment before everything faded into darkness again. Faith looked over at the clock by the bed, surprised to find her vision blurred by silent tears that were rolling down her cheeks. Hastily wiping them away, she drew her knees up to her chest and hugged them tightly. The guy she had left the Bronze with was asleep, a contented smile plastered on his face. Faith wanted nothing more than to beat it off him, to make him see how much it ripped her apart every time she let herself be used by someone else.

Her Homecoming dress lay crumpled on the floor. She had stolen it from a consignment shop on Main Street. When she had seen it, she knew that she would look good in it. But when she had slipped it into her duffel bag and walked out of the store with it, she hadn't done it hoping that some random high school loser would think she looked sexy in it, she had done it hoping that Xander would. Xander, who despite his kindness towards her, had to be using her as well. Faith tried to think of a time when he had betrayed his true intentions, but she couldn't. She wanted to trust him, despite everything in her very being that screamed for her not to; it was far easier to suspect him of something – anything – that would justify her blowing him off like every other person she had in her life.

Faith closed her eyes, angry at the salty tears that burned their way down her cheeks. Her hands curled up into tight fists and she could feel her fingernails break the skin of her palms. Warmth spread out over her hands and she opened her eyes, looking down at them. Blood oozed out of fingernail shaped cuts. Faith knew they would be gone by the time the sun rose. She looked back over at her latest mistake and sighed. Getting to her feet, she carefully tiptoed over to her dress and picked up it. Then she slipped into the bathroom. She didn't need to turn on the light to see. Her slayer senses allowed her to see nearly perfectly in the dark.

Grabbing a handful of tissues, she wiped the blood away from her hands. Slipping on her dress, she walked back out into the bedroom and tried to locate her shoes. Then she threw one last look over her shoulder at the bed and walked out of the front door of the apartment. The hallway was lit harshly by popping fluorescent lights and Faith found herself squinting at the change. She knew she looked like a wreck, but she still walked with a confidence that made her seem like something above and beyond everything else. She opened the outside door of the apartment building and stepped out into the rain. It was cold against the bare skin of her shoulders and she found herself shivering as she aimlessly walked.

She didn't want to go back to her motel room and sit in the dark, watching some old, romantic movie on the two channels she actually received. Though it was late, she knew that she wouldn't be able to fall asleep. Her mind was racing and her feet led her on, taking her through the streets of Sunnydale without any conscious thought on her part. Finally, she found herself standing in front of Xander's house. The house was dark and she imagined that Xander was sleeping, entirely oblivious to the fact that she even existed. She shrugged off the thought, pretending like she didn't care, even though she knew that she did.

Before she could stop herself, she walked up the sidewalk and disappeared into the shadows of the side of the house. She wasn't entirely sure which bedroom was Xander's, but as she walked around to the back of the house, she could feel a slight tingle run down her spine that told her he was near. Stopping at one of the windows, she peered inside. The curtains were drawn, but she was positive she had picked the right room. Knocking softly, she waited. She could her someone groan inside and stir. Faith stepped away from the window and folded her arms across her chest, waiting. The rain seemed to be falling harder and her hair was slicked back, soaking wet, much like the rest of her. Her skin had adjusted to the cold, however, and she could barely feel it.

The window slid open and Xander's head popped out. His hair was sticking up in random places and he looked like he was half-asleep. But when he saw her face, his eyes seemed to light up. "Hey," he said, his voice low and rough. "What're you doing here? It's like two in the morning."

Faith froze, suddenly wishing she were anywhere but standing on Xander's lawn outside of his bedroom window in the middle of the night. "This was a mistake," she said, backing up. "I should go."

"No, wait!" Xander said as loudly as he could without waking up anyone else in the house. "Stay. I wasn't doing anything important."

"You were sleeping," Faith replied dryly. "I woke you up."

"I sleep all the time. In fact, I've probably slept half my life away. So this is a nice change of pace," Xander responded jokingly. "You want to come in?"

Faith eyed him warily for a moment before shrugging and stepping forward. Xander extended his hand to help her climb into his bedroom, which she took, even though she was positive she could have done without his help. "Thanks," she mumbled gruffly when her feet touched the floor.

"Are you okay?" Xander asked her as he shut the window.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Why?" Faith asked, moving further into the room.

"Your hands are bleeding," Xander pointed out. He pointed to a smear of blood on his own hand from where he had helped her climb in only moments ago.

"Oh," Faith said, looking down at her hands again. "Right. It's fine."

"I'm just gonna get some towels. You can make yourself comfortable if you want," he said, quietly slipping out of the bedroom. Faith sighed and looked around. She imagined that Xander's room was typical for a teenage boy. Band posters littered the walls and clothes were crumpled up in nearly every corner. Some comic books littered his desk and his book bag was haphazardly slung in his closet. Faith sat down on the edge of his bed and waited. The entire room smelled like him and it overwhelmed her senses.

"I brought some rubbing alcohol too," Xander said as he came back into the room.

"I don't need it," Faith replied. "Everything will be gone tomorrow."

"It could get infected or something," Xander countered, tossing the towels onto the bed. He poured some of the rubbing alcohol out onto a gauze pad and knelt down in front of her.

"This really isn't necessary," Faith argued, though she let Xander take her hands.

"I know," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "Just let me do this though, okay?" Faith nodded. The rubbing alcohol was cold as it touched her hand and pain shot up from the wounds. She flinched slightly and Xander looked up at her. "That hurt?"

"A little," she admitted.

"Sorry," Xander said as he looked back down at her hands and carefully wiped the wounds as gently as he could.

"It's okay," Faith said, smiling a little. It occurred to her that the last time anyone had tended her wounds was when her Watcher was still alive. After patrols, Kate would cleanse her cuts or prepare an ice bag for her, even though they both knew that the wounds would quickly heal on their own. Xander finished and stood, tossing the used gauze pads into his trashcan.

"Do you want me to get some dry clothes for you?" He asked as Faith picked up one of the towels and began to dry herself off.

"You just want to get me out of this dress," Faith jokingly shot back.

"Absolutely…and into a pair of my baggy sweat pants and a t-shirt," Xander replied, smiling as he held up the garments in question. Faith laughed a little and took them.

"Thanks," she said. "You don't have to leave," she added, as Xander turned to go wait out in the hallway. "Just turn around." He nodded and turned. Faith quickly took her dress off and tossed it onto Xander's desk chair. Then she slipped on Xander's clothes. "You can turn back around."

"I waited for you, at the Bronze tonight. What happened with the vamp?" Xander asked. Faith shrugged her shoulders.

"Staked it. Didn't really feel like partying much after that, besides, your friends had finally shown up," Faith replied.

"They're your friends too, you know," Xander responded, joining her as she sat down on his bed again, this time resting her back against the headboard.

"I guess," Faith said, looking down at her hands. They felt better now that they had been cleaned.

"So where did you go?" Xander asked, almost as if he already knew the answer.

"You know how I mentioned something about finding some random loser that goes to your school and screwing his brains out when you asked me if I was going to the dance?" Faith asked. Xander nodded. "Well, that's where I went."

"Oh," Xander said and Faith swore she could hear disappointment in his voice. "Who was he?"

"I'm not really sure," Faith said, laughing mirthlessly. She could feel her eyes start to burn again with tears that threatened to spill out. Xander looked over at her. He hesitantly reached out and, with his thumb, wiped a stray tear off her cheek that had escaped despite her best efforts to control herself. His thumb lingered longer than necessary and Faith looked over at him.

"Why do you do this to yourself?" He asked, his voice thick with emotion. Faith smiled sadly.

"I don't know," she whispered.

"You want to sleep here tonight?" He asked. He could see relief spread over Faith's face when he didn't press her further about her evening's activities.

"If you don't mind," Faith said, looking over at him hopefully. He flashed her his patented lopsided grin and shifted the blankets to cover them both. Faith rested her head on the pillow and turned to face Xander. "I don't know what I'm doing anymore," she said softly.

"Everything's gonna be okay," Xander said, pulling her closer. He rested his chin on the top of her head, smiling when the smell of her shampoo filled his nostrils. He could feel Faith nod against his chest. Her breathing slowed until she was asleep, but Xander knew he wouldn't be able to join her that easily. Instead, he lay beside her and rubbed lazy circles on her back, hoping that he was right.


	14. When the Sun Rises

The Quickening

Notes: Thanks for the reviews. Keep them coming.

Previously:

"You want to sleep here tonight?" He asked. He could see relief spread over Faith's face when he didn't press her further about her evening's activities.

"If you don't mind," Faith said, looking over at him hopefully.

Chapter Thirteen:

Xander watched the golden light of the sun creep in through his bedroom window. The floor turned into a chiaroscuro pattern of light and dark. The shadows were losing ground, however, and slowly crept back further into the room as the light began to make its way up the covers on the foot of the bed. Xander felt Faith stir in his arms and his heart nearly stopped. He didn't know how she would react when she woke up, realizing that she had spent the entire night sleeping next to him, with the length of her body pressed against his.

Based on all of the stories he had heard her tell, gathered around one of the tables at the Bronze, he didn't imagine she would be too happy to find him there. But Xander was starting to see that Faith was so much more than those stories. In fact, she seemed to use those stories to hide who she really was, as if she was afraid that if she was honest with people, they would think less of her. He could feel Faith's eyes flutter open against his chest and she involuntarily pulled away from him. Sitting up, she ran a hand through her wild, dark hair and looked over at him.

"Hey," she said, her voice gravelly from sleep. Xander sat up as well and rested his back against the headboard.

"Hey," he replied. "Sleep well?"

"Yeah," Faith said, smiling a little. "What time is it?"

"About eight," he responded. "Far too early to actually be awake on a Saturday morning," he joked.

"Not for me," Faith grumbled. "Giles seems to think that I need to haul my ass in everyday to train. Like training wouldn't be just as effective at eleven."

"When are you supposed to be there?" Xander asked, leaning forward.

"Nine. Why?" Faith asked, looking over at him.

"Wanna grab some breakfast?" Xander asked hopefully.

Faith smiled. "I thought it was too early to be awake," she said jokingly.

"Don't use my grumblings against me," Xander returned. "Besides, I have to talk to Giles about something anyway. So it's not like I'm going out of my way here."

"God forbid," Faith said, laughing. "Let's motor," she said, rising to her feet. "I gotta stop by the motel first."

Faith grabbed her dress off Xander's desk chair, slipped her boots on, and waited outside for Xander to change. A few minutes later, he appeared next to her and they started walking back to the motel. There were some people milling about, but for the most part, it was still too early for the residents of Sunnydale to be out and about. Still, Faith felt a little strange walking down the street wearing a pair of Xander's sweat pants and one of his t-shirts. "So where are we going for chow?" She asked.

"There's this diner not far away from the motel. I hear it absolutely sucks, but it's cheap, and the last time I checked, neither of us was doing so well in the financial department," Xander said. A comfortable silence fell between them and Xander looked over at Faith. He discreetly reached over and took her hand in his, waiting with bated breath as her arm tensed and then slowly relaxed.

…………………………….

Cordelia screeched to a halt at the second to last red light before the high school. She hated Saturday morning practices. But as a faithful member of the cheerleading squad, with her status as a popular icon slowly fading everyday she stayed with Xander Harris, there was no way in hell she was going to miss a practice and give people another reason to talk about her behind her back. She flipped her visor down and stared at her reflection in the mirror. Her hair was perfect, as usual, her make up was perfect, as usual, and despite how hard she tried to find any evidence of her family's waning fortunes wearing on her face, she couldn't.

She flipped the visor up again and stared at the light, debating whether she should risk running it. She couldn't see any cars on the road with her. As she glanced around, her eyes rested on two people walking down the sidewalk. She instantly recognized Xander. She was about to roll her window down to greet him when she noticed that he was walking with a girl, who appeared to be wearing his clothes. Squinting her eyes, she looked closer and discovered that he and this girl were holding hands and that, if her memory served her correctly, the girl was Faith, the second string, slutty slayer who had just shown up a few days ago.

"What the hell," Cordelia whispered to herself as she watched them walking in the direction of the Sunnydale Motor Lodge. She glanced down at the clock on her dashboard. It was only a few minutes passed eight. She knew Xander well enough to know that he never woke up earlier than noon on a Saturday morning. If he was out with Faith this early, than the only logical conclusion to reach would be that he and Faith had spent the night together. She could only imagine what they had been doing. Although, given Faith's reputation, she didn't have to let her imagination wander too far.

"Son of a bitch," she muttered to herself. "He's cheating on me with that slut," she stated incredulously. The light changed. Cordelia debated for a moment whether to pull over and confront him, but if she did, than she would be late to practice. If she were late, she would have to give a reason, and knowing her old friends, they would see through any lame excuse she could come up with. The last thing she wanted to do was explain how she had caught her boyfriend cheating with a girl who obviously didn't know the meaning of no. Cordelia slammed her foot on the gas and her car shot forward. She was letting Xander off the hook now, but he would regret his infidelity later.

…………………………

Xander watched Faith stretching out of the corner of his eye as he waited for Giles to come out of his office. They had eaten a quick breakfast at the diner Xander recommended, both agreeing that the food was less than desirable, but the prices were right on target. Xander had been amazed at the amount of food Faith could pack away. Faith explained that her slayer metabolism allowed her to eat more than most people could. In fact, if she didn't eat as much as she did, she actually lost weight. Xander tried to recall seeing Buffy eat as much as Faith did, but he couldn't. However, he imagined that there were many differences between slayers, and perhaps Faith's metabolism was one such difference.

"What can I help you with, Xander?" Giles asked, coming out of his office. Xander turned his attention away from Faith.

"I wanted to talk to you about Faith, actually," he said lowly. He knew that Faith would be able to hear him if he talked too loud, with her slayer hearing.

"Ah, well, let's go in my office, shall we?" Giles said, picking up on Xander's intention to keep their conversation secret. Giles led him into his office and shut the door behind them. "What about Faith?"

"Have you been to the motel she's staying at?" Xander asked as he took a seat across from Giles.

"No, I can't say I have," Giles stated. "To be honest, I wasn't sure where Faith was staying."

"What, it never occurred to you to ask?" Xander shot out before he could stop himself. "Sorry," he said instantly. "It's just, she's here, and no one really seems to care how she's getting by."

"Except for you," Giles pointed out.

"Yeah, except for me," Xander admitted. "But I can't really do anything about it."

"So what do you want me to do?" Giles asked.

"The motel is a shit hole," Xander said, "pardon the language. She can barely pay for it and the manager's a jerk. It's in a bad part of town and I can only imagine what she has to hear through the walls every night, if you get my meaning."

"You want me to find a better place for her to stay?" Giles prodded, trying to get at what Xander was really asking him.

"Well, I thought maybe she could stay with you," Xander suggested. "I mean, her Watcher's dead. So doesn't that make you her Watcher by default?"

"Absent any ruling by the Council, I imagine so. I suppose, as her Watcher, I should be looking out for her best interests," Giles finished. "What makes you think that Faith will even want to stay with me? She'll lose her independence. From what I can gather, independence is very important to her."

"It is. But it's like she's torn in half, you know. Part of her wants to pull away from everyone because she doesn't want to need anyone to survive. But another part of her wants to be a part of the group, wants to be included. She's so used to surviving on her own that she wants to know what it's like to need people again. She doesn't trust you now, but if you give her a chance to, she will," Xander said.

"How do you know?" Giles asked.

"Come on," Xander replied. "You know that she and I aren't all that different. Just change my circumstances a little and I'd be her."

"I see," Giles responded. He could tell that Xander was sincere in his desire to help Faith. He also knew that everything he said was correct. Xander wasn't the only one who shared similarities with the dark haired slayer. Giles distinctly remembered a time in his life when he had to depend on himself to live and when he didn't trust anyone but himself. He looked at Faith and he felt as if he were looking in the mirror at a younger version of himself. He knew what it was like to struggle, to feel out of control, and never to know what was right. "Well, I'll do what I can. I can't promise anything. Faith will have to decide on her own whether to accept my offer. I'll go to the motel tonight and talk to her, on her own ground, where she'll be most comfortable."

"Thanks, man," Xander said, smiling with relief. "I really appreciate it."

"You're quite welcome. I just hope she realizes that she can trust me," Giles said, mostly to himself.

"Well, I gotta get out of here. See ya around," Xander said, rising to his feet and opening the office door. Giles nodded his goodbye.

"You leavin'?" Faith asked when she saw Xander emerge. She was still stretching.

"Yeah. I got stuff to do around the house. I'll see ya later though, right?" Xander said, smiling.

"Yeah," Faith replied as Giles came out of the office. Xander nodded and headed towards the library doors.

"You ready to begin?" Giles asked, grabbing a couple of weapons.

Faith watched Xander leave before looking over at Giles with a cocky grin, "Hell yeah."


	15. Finding Home

The Quickening

Previously:

"Well, I'll do what I can. I can't promise anything. Faith will have to decide on her own whether to accept my offer. I'll go to the motel tonight and talk to her, on her own ground, where she'll be most comfortable," Giles said.

Chapter Fourteen:

Faith slammed her fist down on the ice machine as a last resort to try to convince the machine to work. She was trying not to lose her temper, but her jaw was throbbing from a rather painful hit she had taken during patrol. All she wanted was a few ice cubes to keep the bruising down. "Come on," she growled out in frustration. She tried hitting every button on the machine to no avail. Finally, in one last effort, she lashed her foot out, solidly connecting with the machine. It sputtered for a moment before dropping out a handful of ice cubes into her bucket.

Faith smiled and silently congratulated herself. Grabbing the bucket, she stared down the machine for a few more seconds before walking back to her room triumphantly. Once there, she gathered the ice into the t-shirt Xander had let her borrow the night before, and gently pressed the homemade ice pack against the side of her face. The cold seeped through the material and after a few minutes, her face felt numb. Sitting down on her bed, she leaned back against the headboard, and flipped on the television. A black and white movie was on, and though it wasn't something she would have normally cared to watch, she wanted something to distract her mind, to keep it from wandering back to the events of the previous couple of days.

The movie soon began to lose her interest, however. She could smell Xander's scent on the shirt pressed against her face; it was mingled with her own – the smell of the cologne he wore and her distinctive mix of cigarettes and cinnamon gum. She tried not to smile when she thought back to earlier that morning, when she and Xander had been walking to the motel, and he had hesitantly reached over to hold her hand. Any other guy she probably would have punched in the face. But when Xander did it, it felt right. She couldn't explain it, but when he touched her, sparks seemed to tingle underneath her skin. At the same time, however, she was filled with a sense of calm and certainty, a sense that for once in her life things might turn out okay.

However, that certainty was constantly plagued with doubt. Buffy had been acting strange recently. She showed up for patrols and training, but her mind seemed to be elsewhere. It didn't bother Faith too much, except when that detachment got in the way of fighting, as it had that evening. Buffy hadn't been paying attention when the vampires attacked them in the cemetery and, as a result, Faith took a beating from three of them while Buffy struggled with one. Whatever was going on, Faith hoped the older slayer figured it out before it cost them more than a couple of bumps and bruises.

Despite her initial misgivings, Faith was starting to develop a routine in Sunnydale. Every morning, she went to the library to train with Giles. When school let out, she would train with Buffy until it was time to patrol. Once she had finished patrolling, she would grab some food and return to the motel to watch whatever ancient movie happened to be on that night. However, Faith would have to show up late for training the next day if she wanted to come back to a roof over her head. She was broke, despite the fact that Xander had been treating her to every meal he could sit her down for, and she didn't have any paid time left at the motel.

A knock at her door interrupted her musings and she contemplated ignoring it. However, she knew she would hear about it the next day if Buffy or one of the others had come knocking with important demon business and she had pretended to be out. Pulling herself to her feet, she tossed the ice pack onto the bed and made her way over to the door. When she looked out of the peephole, she was surprised to see Giles standing there, patiently waiting. Opening the door, she looked him over.

"Hey, what's up?" She asked, noticing how out of place Giles looked standing outside of her dingy motel room in a tweed suit.

"I was hoping to talk to you for a moment, if you don't mind. May I come in?" Giles asked. Faith opened the door a little wider and he took that as an invitation. She closed the door behind him and leaned against the dresser with her arms folded across her chest. "How was patrol?" Giles asked, turning to face her. He had taken a few moments to survey the room and instantly understood why Xander had been concerned about Faith's living arrangements. The motel was absolutely appalling.

"You came all this way to ask me how patrol went?" Faith asked, somehow doubting that had been Giles' intent.

"Of course not," Giles said, smiling softly. "But that doesn't mean I'm not also interested in how the fight against evil went this evening."

Faith chuckled and shrugged. "Went fine. We dusted four vamps. Place was kinda dead, to be honest," she replied.

"Well, I don't suppose a lack of the undead is something to complain about," Giles responded.

"True, but it makes life pretty damn boring," Faith retorted. "For a slayer anyway."

"I imagine so," Giles said. "Well, I suppose I should get to the matter at hand then. Xander asked me to come by, actually. He's been concerned that, perhaps, the motel is not the best place for you to be staying."

"Seems fine to me," Faith replied absently, her tone belying the fact that she was scrutinizing Giles. But she could find no pity in his eyes or voice, simply concern.

"Yes, I'm sure it does. At your age, it would have seemed fine to me as well. However, now that I've advanced some in years," Giles said, smiling when Faith rolled her eyes, "I find myself wondering perhaps if I haven't been mistaken all these years."

"Mistaken about what?" Faith asked with curiosity.

"You know, Faith, I've lived on my own for a long time. It gets rather lonely after a while. I'm sure you know what I mean. I wouldn't mind the company and as your temporary Watcher, I would feel much better knowing that you had a solid roof over your head," Giles said.

"Cut the crap, Giles," Faith said, trying to decipher the point he was trying to make. "What do you want?"

"I would like you to move in with me. I have an extra room and I assure you, I in no way desire to tamper with your independence. I simply feel that it would benefit us both," Giles said, watching as Faith tossed his words around in her mind.

"Xander wanted you to come here?" She finally asked. Giles nodded, surprised at her question. Faith smiled a little at that and looked down at the ground, ruminating over her options. On the one hand, she liked being able to come and go as she pleased. However, constantly struggling to find enough money to pay the rent was wearing her down. The fact that Xander had been concerned enough about her to send Giles to speak to her nearly made her want to cry, knowing that someone cared that much about her.

"It will take some getting used to, for both of us. If you don't like it, you can come back here if you wish. But I think you'll find I'm not as bad as I'm sure you imagine," Giles said, smiling a little when Faith looked up at him, guilt flashing through her eyes for a moment. "What do you say?"

Faith sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "Give me a few minutes to pack up?" She asked and couldn't help but smile slightly when Giles grinned.

"Of course, I'll just be outside," he replied and quickly exited. Faith laughed to herself, imagining that Giles had been quite eager to escape from her dirt-infested hellhole of a room ever since he stepped into it. Grabbing her duffel bag out from under the bed, she quickly shoved her belongings into it. She dumped the ice out of Xander's t-shirt and placed it in her bag last, zippering it up. Then she turned off the television and grabbed her key from the dresser. Giles was waiting outside as she locked the door behind her.

"I just gotta return this," Faith said, holding up the key. Giles nodded and grabbed her duffel bag, sliding it into the trunk of his car as she lightly jogged down to the rental office. A couple of minutes later she reappeared and got into the passenger's side of the car.

"Ready?" Giles asked, looking over at her. Faith took one last look at the motel before nodding.

"Yeah, let's go home."


	16. The Break Up

The Quickening

Previously:

"Ready?" Giles asked, looking over at her. Faith took one last look at the motel before nodding.

"Yeah, let's go home."

Chapter Fifteen:

Xander sighed and ran a hand through his hair as he stood in front of the vending machine outside of the school cafeteria, debating whether to spend his hard-earned dollar on a Pepsi or a Dr. Pepper. The school day had just ended and he had successfully failed two quizzes, thus cementing his reputation as a C student without a chance at a future in higher education. While the thought should have disappointed him, he had resigned himself to the fact that he wasn't the college type. Instead, he imagined that after high school, he'd just embark on a career in whatever labor field he could find gainful employment. Besides, he thought he'd look fairly good in a hard hat.

Sliding his dollar into the vending machine, he punched the Dr. Pepper button. The machine bumped and rattled a moment before the can of soda appeared. Reaching down, Xander picked it up and popped open the lid. The soda fizzed for a moment before dying down. Xander was debating whether to go to the library to watch Faith and Buffy train. However, he wasn't sure if Faith would be angry that he had sent Giles to the motel the night before to change her living arrangements. Faith hadn't been in the library that morning when he arrived, but Giles told him that Faith had moved in with him and was adjusting as well as could be imagined.

Instead of making her arrive early to train, Giles had let Faith sleep in, citing her need to get used to her new home. Xander, however, thought that now that Faith was going to be living with him, Giles didn't want to push her too hard. The last thing Giles needed was an angry teenage girl in his apartment. Xander chuckled a bit at the thought and took a drink of his soda. Giles seemed to think that Faith was happy with their new arrangement. However, Xander was afraid that Faith would think he had violated her trust by telling Giles what he knew of her life. If there was one thing Xander definitively knew, it was that angering a slayer never ended well.

"Xander," Cordelia said, coming up behind him. Xander turned at the sound of her voice and smiled slightly.

"Hey, what's up?" He asked, shifting his book bag.

"Have a minute?" Cordelia asked. "I think we need to talk." Xander looked at her carefully before responding. She didn't look happy to see him.

"Yeah, let's go somewhere else," Xander said, motioning for her to continue walking. Cordelia, however, remained rooted in her spot.

"No, I think here is fine," Cordelia said a little louder, effectively capturing the attention of everyone in the room. "You're a pathetic piece of shit, you know that Xander Harris?" She practically yelled. Xander could feel his face start to flush from embarrassment and confusion.

"Cor, what are you doing?" He asked, his voice low.

"What am _I _doing? Yeah, I should have asked myself that question a long time ago – right when I decided to give up everything important in my life for you. But my question is what the hell are _you_ doing?" She growled out, stepping forward and lowering her voice. "I saw you walking with that bitch on Saturday morning, holding her hand like you were dating or something. So that's it, huh? A hot piece of ass comes to town and all of the sudden you forget about everyone else in your life?"

"It's not like that," Xander retorted.

"Save it. I'm officially over giving a shit about what you have to say anymore. We're done," she announced loudly again. Then, grabbing his soda out of his hand, she dumped it on the front of his shirt. "Go to hell," she said menacingly before stomping off. The room immediately erupted into the sound of excited voices discussing the latest gossip. Xander looked down at his shirt and fruitlessly dried to wipe the soda off.

"Damn," he muttered to himself. Looking around the room, he could feel everyone's eyes on him and it made him incredibly uncomfortable. Lowering his head, he walked out as quickly as he could, disappearing into the hallway with the rest of the students.

…………………….

Faith blocked one of Buffy's punches and tried to sweep the older slayer's feet out from under her. Buffy, anticipating the move, side stepped her and brought her elbow down on the back of Faith's head. "Ow," Faith muttered, staggering to her feet and turning to face the blonde slayer.

"Your head's not in the game," Buffy admonished.

"So, I've got a lot on my mind," Faith spat back. Buffy was being hypocritical and Faith knew it. The older slayer had been completely distracted during all of their patrols, constantly checking her watch and jumping back and forth on her feet like she couldn't wait to go home – or somewhere else. Faith was curious, but she didn't particularly care what Buffy did in her spare time, so long as it didn't effect their slaying. Now, however, Faith was having one off day and Buffy was berating her like she was some high and mighty warrior.

"You can't let whatever's going on in your head affect your fighting, Faith. Like I said before, number one rule of slaying is don't get dead. If you're distracted, you'll get dead," Buffy replied.

"Really? I hadn't figured that one out yet," Faith shot back. Giles appeared out of his office at that moment.

"I think a break is in order, yes?" He asked, sensing the tension in the room. He knew that training two slayers at one time would be difficult. Both girls were incredibly headstrong and both were confident in their abilities. By training together, the two slayers seemed to be constantly engaging in a competition of sorts. Giles got the impression that neither Buffy nor Faith particularly liked to lose.

"Sounds good," Buffy said cheerfully, almost immediately forgetting what she and Faith had been talking about. Faith frowned and looked down at her shoes, willing herself not to launch an attack at the girl as she turned her back. She hated being blown off; it reminded her of all of the times her mother had forgotten about her, or walked out on her without a clue that she was even there. "In fact, I think we're done here, right?" Buffy asked, looking back at Faith. Faith simply shrugged. "I was hoping to jet early, I've got some homework."

"That's fine," Giles replied, smiling his goodbye as Buffy packed her things.

"Tomorrow?" Buffy said as she walked about of the library.

"You did well today," Giles commented when he and Faith were alone.

"Not according to her," Faith replied bitterly. Giles smiled softly.

"Buffy is still getting used to having another slayer in town," Giles replied. "Kendra wasn't here long enough for Buffy to have to share her duties for any extended period of time. Though she may complain about being a slayer, once that identity is threatened, she tends to become fiercely protective of it."

Faith smiled a little, noticing that Giles called Buffy 'a slayer' instead of 'the slayer.' When she had first arrived in town, everyone always referred to Buffy as 'the slayer,' almost as if Faith didn't even exist, like she was a mistake. She understood what Giles was saying, however, about being protective of her identity. Faith was the same way; that was why being thought of as the second string slayer bothered her so much. Being a slayer was her destiny, her fate, not anyone else's. Even though Buffy had the same birthright, they were two different people with two different ways of doing things. They could both be slayers at the same time without having to compete over who was better, if only the rest of the Scooby Gang could understand that the 'one girl in the whole world' speech was a bit outdated.

"I get that," Faith finally said. Giles nodded.

"Just give her a chance, I think you'll find you have a lot in common," Giles said, then amended off the look Faith shot him, "well, at least some things in common."

"I guess," Faith replied. "I'm gonna head back, if you don't need me to stick around."

"I think we're finished. I'll see you soon then. Oh, and I'll have dinner waiting when you get back from patrol tonight," Giles said, knowing he had done the right thing by inviting Faith to live with him when she smiled a little and nodded.

"Sure thing, G-man. See ya," she said, grabbing her bag and slinging it over her shoulder as she exited the library. She was disappointed to find the hallway empty. She had hoped that Xander would come to the library after school. However, she didn't know why he would, after all, he was dating Cordelia, not her. She couldn't help but feel down as she left the school, even though reason clearly suggested that she was making too much out of the little things Xander had done for her.

Pushing open the school doors, she squinted as the afternoon sun pierced her eyes. It would only be a few hours until the sun went down and she would have to patrol. Already she could feel the slayer in her starting to stir, awaiting its chance to rip loose. "Hey," a voice said to her left, interrupting her thoughts. Faith looked over and saw Xander leaning against the side of the building.

"Hey," she replied, suddenly finding herself smiling. "What're you doing here?"

Xander shrugged and stepped forward, falling in line with Faith as she began to walk. "Thought I'd wait, see if you wanted company walking home," he said.

"Ah, yes, home," Faith replied, "which is now different from when we last talked."

"Yeah, about that," Xander said, looking over at her. "I hope you're not pissed that I talked to Giles about the motel."

"I'm not," Faith said, much to Xander's relief. "I'm glad you did. Giles' apartment may smell like tea bags and old books, but it's better than the Sunnydale Motor Lodge by a long shot."

"I'm glad you like it," Xander said, smiling over at her.

"Me too," Faith replied. Xander smiled as they fell into a comfortable rhythm of walking and talking. As Faith was filling him in on the details of her latest patrol, he couldn't help but think that he had never been as comfortable with Cordelia as he was with Faith. When he was with Cordelia, it was like he was constantly trying to measure up to some invisible goal that he never quite understood. However, Faith seemed to understand him, and despite his lack of knowledge about her past, Xander thought he understood her as well. He smiled a little, imagining that he should have been feeling depressed about being dumped not even an hour ago, yet, as he walked with Faith, his heart seemed light and free.


	17. Band Candy Part 1

The Quickening

Notes: Thanks for the reviews. Keep them coming.

Previously:

Xander smiled a little, imagining that he should have been feeling depressed about being dumped not even an hour ago, yet, as he walked with Faith, his heart seemed light and free.

Chapter Sixteen:

Mr. Trick sauntered into the Mayor's office, his face a mask of calm, though he was rather nervous. The Mayor was a different kind of evil than he normally dealt with; the Mayor was evil sugar coated with a polite handshake and a smile. However, Trick imagined the same could be said for most politicians. "Ah, Mr. Trick," the Mayor said, swiveling to face him in his desk chair. "Thanks for stopping by."

"You called," Trick drawled in his slight southern accent.

"Yes, I just want to make sure we're clear on what's supposed to happen," the Mayor said, standing and walking over to one of his cabinets. "I want to make sure you can handle this. I've had to make certain deals to get where I am today, you know. This demon requires quite a tribute. Are you sure subcontracting is the way to go here?" The Mayor asked, swinging open the cabinet doors.

"He's worked this town before. Got quite a reputation. If he lives up to it, this place'll be in flames," Trick said, smiling uneasily as he watched the Mayor inspect the cabinet. It was filled with various occult paraphernalia. The Mayor reached in and picked up a shrunken head, lifting it by a strand of braided hair.

"I like to keep my campaign promises, Mr. Trick, if you understand me. Make sure this gets done," The Mayor said, lifting open a flap of dried skin on the shrunken head. Trick nearly vomited on his shoes. "Now…where did I put that scotch?"

…………………..

A week had passed since Faith first moved in with Giles. Despite some initial obstacles, they seemed to have found a comfortable rhythm from which to operate. Faith would leave with Giles in the morning for training, return to the apartment after she had trained with Buffy in the afternoon, and go on patrol at night. After her patrol, Giles would be waiting with dinner and they would eat together – something that had been entirely foreign to Faith. She had never participated in a family dinner, save the dinner she attended at Buffy's house when she first arrived in Sunnydale.

In Boston, she usually had to fend for herself. After her father had been put in jail, her mother turned to drinking and drugs as a means of escape from the harsh realities of life. She worked several jobs to pay the rent and provide other necessities, but she quickly became burned out working so many hours. She seemed to forget that Faith even existed. Faith was forced to fend for herself, despite being just a child, which included preparing her own meals. Faith was too young, when her father was jailed, to remember a time when she and her parents would gather around the dinner table, if that ever happened.

Now, however, she and Giles would eat together every night and he would ask her how her day went. At first, it bothered her. It seemed like Giles was trying to pump her for information. However, after a few days, she realized that he actually cared how her day went and that he was interested in what she had to say. Every once in a while Giles would ask her questions about her family and her life in Boston. However, she usually dodged those questions and he would back off. She knew that he was curious about what her life had been like before Sunnydale, but she wasn't entirely comfortable talking to him, or anyone, about Boston. Many things had happened to her there that she wished she could forget, but they plagued her dreams, turning them to nightmares, every time she closed her eyes.

As time passed, however, Faith found herself trusting Giles more and more; she found herself unconsciously starting to rely on him. She didn't worry about where her next meal would come from anymore because she knew that he would provide it. Every once in a while, she thought about telling Giles about her past, but something always held her back. She was afraid of what he might think of her if he knew what had happened to her.

Faith sat in the library, waiting for Buffy to finish her classes so that they could train and she could go back home. It had been a rather boring day. Giles had been busy with his actual job as librarian and Faith had been left to her own devices for most of the day. She had trained for a while, but being in the stuffy library soon began to grate on her nerves. After wandering around the halls, she had come back and gone to the stacks, falling asleep against the bookshelves.

"Hey," Buffy said as she, Xander, Willow, and Oz walked into the library. Xander looked up from a box he was carrying and smiled. Faith nodded back at them. Xander had told her about his breakup with Cordelia. As a result, Faith had made sure to avoid Cordelia, as she didn't want to create a scene. She wasn't even supposed to be in the school, since she wasn't a student, and didn't want to create any trouble for her newly found, stable situation.

"What's with the boxes?" Faith asked, noticing that everyone was carrying one.

"Candy bars," Oz said, as if that explained everything. Faith motioned for one of the group to elaborate.

"Fundraising thing," Xander said, dropping his box on the library table. "Snyder is making us do it."

"That's not so bad," Faith said. "They're just candy bars."

"Yes, they are just candy bars. But they're candy bars that none of us had any desire to sell, thus the problem," Buffy explained.

"However, if say, a faculty member wanted to purchase some high quality, chocolate candy bars at the decent price of a dollar a bar," Xander said, holding a candy bar up and modeling it for Giles, "this would be a lot easier."

Giles rolled his eyes. "If I buy a few, will you cease to bother me with them?"

"Absolutely," Xander said, smiling widely.

"Fine," Giles grumbled, pulling his wallet out of his back pocket and handing Xander a few dollars.

"My first sale," Xander said proudly. "This is quite a moment." Willow and Buffy chuckled to themselves.

"So you ready to train?" Buffy asked, looking over at Faith.

"Been here all day, B," Faith replied, rising to her feet. Xander watched them walk off to the weapons cabinet.

"You're into her, aren't you?" Willow asked, watching Xander's eyes followed Faith. Xander quickly looked over at his best friend.

"What makes you say that?" He asked.

"You were staring at her ass," Oz replied, smiling as Xander reddened.

"Well, you were," Willow agreed.

"She's an attractive girl," Xander said, sitting down at the library table with the rest of his friends. "She's got an attractive ass, what can I say?"

"I wouldn't let her hear you say that," Willow noted. "She'd probably try to stake you. Either that, or she'd jump you."

"Nah, she's not like that," Xander said. "She just comes off that way. She's cool."

"How much time do you spend with her?" Willow asked, suddenly finding herself jealous. She had been around Faith enough to know that Faith was reckless and wild; however, Xander seemed to think differently about her.

"Not that much," Xander said shrugging, though he knew that he spent most of his free time with her.

"You seem to know her pretty well," Willow pointed out. Xander looked over at her. It almost seemed as if she was accusing him of something.

"She's a friend, Will. And she's really not that hard to get to know if you put forth some effort," Xander explained.

"So now that you and Cordy are over, you're not going to ask her out?" Willow asked curiously. Xander internally sighed. He wanted to ask Faith out, but he wasn't sure if it would be a good idea. They were getting along very well and she was starting to trust him. He didn't want to do anything to jeopardize that. At the same time, he felt like she would be willing to take their relationship to the next level. He wasn't so sure, however, that she had ever been in a relationship that didn't completely revolve about sex.

"I don't think it works that way with her," Xander replied softly. Willow looked over at him, surprised.

"So you _are_ into her, then," Willow concluded.

"I'm gonna head out," Xander said, rising to his feet. "Got candy bars to sell and all that."

Faith blocked one of Buffy's punches and threw her elbow into the older slayer's stomach, knocking her away. Her gaze quickly shifted to the library doors and Xander's retreating form. With her slayer hearing, she had heard everything that he and Willow had been talking about, despite Xander's attempt to keep the conversation under wraps. She had been rather surprised when Xander didn't immediately make a move on her after the break up with Cordelia. Now, however, she realized that he was holding back because he didn't know how she would react to him. Even more surprising to her, however, was the fact that he defended her to Willow, one of his oldest friends. Faith was ripped out of her musings by Buffy's fist striking her face.

"I know, I know," Faith said, rubbing her jaw. "I'm paying attention."


	18. Band Candy Part 2

The Quickening

Previously:

Faith had been rather surprised when Xander didn't immediately make a move on her after the break up with Cordelia. Now, however, she realized that he was holding back because he didn't know how she would react to him. Even more surprising to her, however, was the fact that he defended her to Willow, one of his oldest friends.

Chapter Seventeen:

Faith twiddled her stake and sighed as she sat on a gravestone in the cemetery waiting for something – anything to happen. Buffy had bailed on her early, citing the need to cram her brain full of useless facts for the SAT test. Faith had been tempted to follow her to see if Buffy was really going home, but opted against it. Being caught stalking her partner in crime would strain their relationship even more and Faith had no idea how she would explain herself if Buffy did catch her. Thus far, patrol had been entirely fruitless, without a single vampire showing its face for the entire two hours Faith had been wandering around town, looking for something to kill.

"Screw this," Faith said, leaping off the headstone. "I'm goin' home," she shouted. "Any vamps wanna come out and play, now's the time to do it." Faith paused and waited, hearing nothing but silence and the echoing of her voice around the cemetery. "Helpless, stranded, teenage girl," Faith shouted again. Sighing loudly, she turned and she started walking back to town.

Her stomach growled loudly as she walked and she wondered what Giles had made for dinner. Though she didn't like to think of him as her Watcher, as Kate would always be her Watcher, even though she was dead, Faith found herself learning a great deal about slaying from him. Her style had always been passionate and wild, but under his tutelage, she was starting to learn to control herself a bit more, to anticipate the moves of her opponents, and to decide on a plan of attack before striking. Though Giles could have easily tried to turn Faith into a carbon copy of Buffy, instead, he worked with her natural tendencies and focused on improving them, rather than changing them.

As Faith neared her new home, she pulled out the key Giles had given her, smiling when she felt the cold steel press against her fingers. It reminded her of her apartment key when she lived in Boston. She had stolen her mom's key one night while she was drunk. She ran fifteen blocks to the hardware store to have a copy made so that she wouldn't have to find the apartment manager every time she was locked out. Her mother would forget to leave the spare key, if one even existed, under the doormat for her for when she came home from school.

After Kate had been killed by Kakistos, Faith took some money Kate had lying around her house and bought a bus ticket with it. The first rest stop the bus stopped at, Faith tossed her old apartment key in the bathroom trashcan. She felt like throwing away her key was the last thing she needed to do to let Boston go. It dawned on her, however, that she would never be able to let her old home go. Even though she never liked it there, it had still been the place where she grew up, the place where her family lived. Running a hand through her hair, she stuck the key in the lock on the front door and slid it open. She never wanted to have to throw out another key. More importantly, she never wanted to have to get on a bus and run away from her life again.

The apartment was dark as she stepped inside. "Giles?" Faith called, flipping on the lights. When he didn't answer her, she quickly walked through the apartment, searching for him, only to find no one there. "That's weird," she muttered to herself as she wandered into the kitchen.

Faith immediately noticed a note taped to the fridge, written in Giles's nearly perfect, cursive writing. Ripping it off, Faith quickly scanned the contents and read it. Apparently, Giles had gone over to Buffy's house to talk to her about something of the utmost importance. Faith smirked, having a feeling that Buffy was going to be in trouble. At the bottom of the note, Giles wrote a postscript stating that he had left a twenty-dollar bill on the kitchen counter, with which she could buy herself dinner.

Faith glanced over at the phone, hesitating for a moment before picking it up and dialing Xander's phone number. The phone rang several times before a gruff, male voice answered it. "What?" The man spat out in a hostile tone.

"Is Xander there?" Faith asked, slipping the money into her pocket.

"Who is this?" He asked.

"Faith," Faith replied, slightly annoyed. "Is he there or not?

"Hold on," he said, moving the phone away from his mouth and shouting through the house. "Xander! There's some bitch on the phone for you!"

Faith looked down at the receiver in surprise. "That was nice," she muttered to herself. She could hear Xander take the phone and mutter something before answering. "Hey, who was that?" Faith asked, flopping down on the couch.

"My dad," Xander said wearily. "Sorry about what he yelled. It's nothing personal. He says that about everyone."

"It's cool," Faith replied. "Not like I haven't been called that before."

"Well, you do get along so well with people," Xander joked. "So what's up?"

"I've got some money burning a hole in my pocket for a change. Wanna go to some seedy diner and get dinner?" Faith asked. She could practically see Xander smile into the phone.

"Yeah, want me to come get you?" He asked.

"Nah, just meet me there. The one by the motel," Faith said. "See ya soon." Hanging up the phone, she grabbed her key off the coffee table and walked over to the front door. Flipping the lights back off, she left the apartment, locking the door behind her.

It was chilly outside, but nowhere near the temperature it would have been in Boston at that time of year. Faith always hated the cold weather. It seemed to sink down into her very bones. Even now, she could feel the ache of Boston winters. Wrapping her jacket tighter around her body, she started walking down the street toward the diner. She wondered why Giles had gone to Buffy's house to talk to her. Perhaps it was about Buffy's constant tardiness for patrol and her recent tendency to leave training early. Faith didn't understand why Buffy pushed her identity as a slayer away.

Faith wasn't a religious person, nor did she particularly think of God as any sort of controlling factor in her life, yet, she couldn't deny the importance of being a slayer. It was fate, destiny, and they were the only ones who could do it. Most of the people that went about their daily lives had no idea what really existed in the world. They were entirely helpless. Every time Buffy slacked off, it meant that no one would be there when a vampire decided to attack someone. At the same time, Faith knew that they couldn't be everywhere. People died every night from vampire bites, even when they went on patrol. They couldn't stop all of the evil in the world, but Faith believed that they had the duty to try.

"Hey!" Faith heard a voice call from behind her. Faith turned to see Cordelia stepping out of a shop she had just passed. "Wait up," Cordelia called after her, walking towards her. Faith cringed. She had been trying to avoid Cordelia after her very public break up with Xander.

"What's up?" Faith asked, shoving her hands in her pockets awkwardly.

"So, you and Xander, huh?" Cordelia asked, rather accusingly.

"It ain't like that," Faith replied. "We're just friends."

"Just friends who walk down the street at like eight o'clock in the morning holding hands and wearing each others' clothes?" Cordelia stated, crossing her arms across her chest.

"Last time I checked, Xander never tried to wear any of my clothes," Faith pointed out.

"So not the point," Cordelia spat out. Then she softened a bit. "Look, I don't care, okay? You can have him. He's all yours."

"Gee, thanks," Faith said sarcastically.

"Just…," Cordelia hesitated. "Take care of him, you know? He's fragile. He won't ever admit that, God forbid. But he doesn't really think. He just jumps into things, always trying to help people no matter what the cost to himself. I just don't want to see him get hurt."

Faith nodded and looked down at her shoes, then back up at Cordelia. "I'll look out for him," she said. Cordelia smiled a little and nodded, before her face clouded over again.

"Good. That's all I wanted," she said, turning and walking back to the store she had come out of.   
Faith watched her go before continuing down the street towards the diner. "That was weird."


	19. Band Candy Part 3

The Quickening

Notes: Just to clear up any confusion about Cordelia, it was rather implied on the show that while Cordelia cared about Xander, she was more concerned about her own image. That changed once she was gifted with visions from Doyle in season 1 of Angel. After that, she started to care more about other people than herself, not simply because she had visions, but because the visions allowed her to access empathy for other people, something she had struggled with before receiving the visions. Therefore, by asking Faith to take care of Xander, she was insinuating that while she cared about Xander, she wasn't the right person for him at that point in time.

Previously:

"Just…," Cordelia hesitated. "Take care of him, you know? He's fragile. He won't ever admit that, God forbid. But he doesn't really think. He just jumps into things, always trying to help people no matter what the cost to himself. I just don't want to see him get hurt."

Chapter Eighteen:

Ethan Rayne surveyed the floor of the Milkbar Factory, where his latest attempt to wreak havoc on Sunnydale was being wrapped in shiny tinfoil to be shipped to the masses. The phone rang beside him and Ethan leaned over to pick up the receiver.

"Yes?" He asked, smiling as boxes upon boxes of chocolate bars were sealed for shipment.

"The Boss wanted me to follow up on your progress," Ethan heard Trick's voice crackle through the phone lines. "See how things were going."

"Excellently. You can tell your boss that the slayers will be so distracted trying to keep the adult population of Sunnydale from destroying themselves that they'll have no idea what's really going on," Ethan replied smugly.

"Good. Once the sacrifice is complete, you'll receive the other half of your payment," Trick said. "Talk to you soon."

Ethan hung up the phone as the line went dead. Looking out over the factory, he noticed one of the works idly pick up a candy bar. "Idiot," Ethan muttered to himself and quickly left his office, descending the stairs that led to the floor of the factory. "I wouldn't do that if I were you," he said, walking up behind the worker, who was starting to unwrap the candy bar.

"Trust me," Ethan said, reaching out and taking the candy from him. "You don't want to eat that." The worker nodded sheepishly and turned as Ethan walked away, throwing the candy bar in the nearest trashcan.

……………………….

Faith was starting to get pissed. She had gotten up earlier than usual that morning to go for a run. After leaving a note for Giles, she took a spin around the town, and wound up at the library for training, only to find that Giles wasn't there. In fact, it looked as if he hadn't been in at all that morning. She waited for several hours, hoping that he would show up, only to be disappointed. Her body was wound up tight, itching for a fight because of the lack of action she encountered the night before in the cemetery. She had been looking forward to inflicting some violence that morning on a heavily padded Giles. Faith jumped off her seat on the library table and sauntered out of the library, deciding that if Giles didn't see it fit to show up for training, she didn't have to either.

It was a short walk back to the apartment. As Faith approached, she noticed that the lights were on inside, which was unusual as Giles was rather anal about preserving electricity. Pulling out her key, she stuck it in the door, and slid it open. Music greeted her ears and she stepped inside, closing the door behind her. "Hey, G-man? You here?" She asked, tossing her keys on the coffee table.

"Faith? You're home early," Giles said, walking out of the kitchen with a bottle of beer in his hand and a cigarette in the other. Faith turned and looked at him, rather surprised.

"What are you doing here?" She asked, quite confused.

"What do you mean?" Giles asked, moving into the room and flopping down on an easy chair.

"We were supposed to train this morning," Faith said, before sniffing the air, noticing an odd smell. Smiling suddenly, Faith looked down at Giles. "Are you smoking pot?"

"Of course not," Giles said a seriously as he could before bursting into uncontrollable laughter. Faith couldn't help but laugh along with him. This was a side of Giles she had never seen before. Instead of his usual tweed suit, Giles was clad in a white t-shirt and ripped, faded, blue jeans. Music Faith could only identify as originating from the 60s poured out of the record player in the corner, which Faith had only assumed Giles owned as a decorative piece.

"Are you okay?" Faith asked, slipping out of her jacket and lying it on the back of the couch.

"Never better," Giles replied. "Of course, they don't know that."

"They?"

"The school. I called in sick today," Giles said, leaning forward and whispering conspiratorially. "Shh….don't tell anyone."

Faith nodded. "I promise," she said, leaning forward and whispering as well. She could smell alcohol on Giles's breath.

"Well, now that you're here, I guess I'll have to start acting my age, huh? That is, unless you want to join me," Giles said, offering Faith his joint. Faith stared at him incredulously for a minute.

"Are you serious?" She asked. Giles nodded and motioned for her to take the cigarette. "Okay," Faith said, hesitating slightly as she reached out and took it from Giles.

"Oh, Joyce should be joining us shortly," Giles said, just remembering.

"Buffy's mom? Why's she coming here?" Faith asked as she took a drag off the cigarette. She inhaled deeply, holding the smoke in for several moments before exhaling slowly.

"Just to hang out," Giles replied noncommittally. "But, I think I've got a real shot at knobbing her."

Faith broke out into a fit of coughs, hoping that she had entirely misunderstood what Giles had said. "Knobbing her?" Faith asked.

"Yeah, you know….jumping her, shagging her," Giles said by way of explanation.

"You're gonna have sex with Buffy's mom," Faith stated, taking another drag off the joint, and trying desperately to shove out of her mind the mental image that had formed.

"She seemed pretty open to it last night," Giles replied.

"Last night? I thought you went over there to talk to Buffy about something," Faith stated.

"I did. But she showed up late. She's been a real flake lately," Giles said accusingly.

"Same could be said about you," Faith muttered to herself, passing the joint back to Giles.

"What's that?" Giles asked, leaning forward to hear her better.

"I just remembered I've got some place to be," Faith said, rising to her feet. Turning, she grabbed her jacket and keys and headed toward the door. "Hey, uh, have fun, yeah?" She said as Giles puffed on his cigarette. He flashed her a thumbs up sign and Faith shook her head, leaving the apartment.

………………………….

Faith wandered through the halls of Sunnydale High, trying to find Buffy. It would have been easier if the world weren't spinning utterly out of control. "Starting to get the just say no approach," Faith muttered to herself as she stopped walking and leaned against the wall for a moment to steady herself. It had been a long time since she used any sort of psychotropic substance. She usually shied away from drugs, remembering the effect they had on her mother's life. But her mother had been more of a crack head than a pothead.

Faith turned and looked down the hall as she heard one of the classroom doors open. Buffy, Willow, and Xander walked out together, all looking rather concerned. Cordelia walked out with several other students, flashing a quick glance at Xander before walking the other way down the hall. "Hey!" Faith said, walking forward to meet Buffy and the others.

"Hey," Buffy said, greeting her. "Are you okay?" She asked, noticing Faith sway a little.

"Yeah, five by five," Faith replied.

"Are you sure, you're eyes seem a little red," Willow said, leaning forward to get a better look. She stepped back almost immediately. "You've been smoking pot, haven't you!" She said accusingly.

"What? No," Faith instantly replied. Then she remembered that she had. "Oh, well, maybe a little."

"What?" Xander asked, instantly concerned.

"It's cool. Giles gave it to me," Faith replied. "Which is actually why I'm here," she said, pulling Buffy aside. "Giles is acting really weird."

"You've seen him?" Buffy asked, relieved. "He didn't show up for study hall. I was worried."

"Wait, what do you mean Giles gave you pot?" Willow asked, interrupting the conversation.

"Like I said, he's been acting weird," Faith responded. Turning back to Buffy, she said, "You might want to go over to his place and talk to him."

"Why?" Buffy asked, instantly seeing that there was more to Faith's suggestion than met the eye.

"I think he's got some ulterior motives with your mom," Faith replied as delicately as she could in her slightly impaired state.

"Ulterior motives?" Xander asked, not getting it.

Faith rolled her eyes. "Giles wants to bang Buffy's mom," she said, noticing Buffy's eyes bug out.

"Oh God," Xander said, shivering at the mental image that popped up in his mind. "Why did I ask?"

"This is horrible," Buffy said. "We have to stop them."

"Yeah, that's what I'm saying," Faith replied as Buffy yanked her down the hallway by her arm.

"We'll meet up with you guys later!" Buffy shouted back to Xander and Willow, who were still standing in the hallway, stunned.

"So, she's not at all what she seems, huh?" Willow replied, recovering, and motioning to Faith as Buffy dragged her out of the school. "'Cuz I definitely didn't think she had serious substance abuse problems," Willow replied sarcastically, the many times she had seen Faith drinking hard liquor at the Bronze popping into her mind.

Xander sighed. "Something weird is going on."


	20. Band Candy Part 4

The Quickening

Previously:

Faith rolled her eyes. "Giles wants to bang Buffy's mom," she said, noticing Buffy's eyes bug out.

"Oh God," Xander said, shivering at the mental image that popped up in his mind. "Why did I ask?"

"This is horrible," Buffy said. "We have to stop them."

Chapter Nineteen:

"Open the door," Buffy said anxiously as Faith fiddled with her apartment key.

"Chill, B. I'm sure they haven't done the dirty deed yet," Faith replied.

"Oh, yeah? Why's that?" Buffy asked angrily at Faith's nonchalance.

"Because it hasn't been that long since I left and you're mom wasn't even there yet," Faith replied logically as she opened the door. Buffy bolted inside.

"Giles!" She practically yelled.

"Ah, Buffy," Giles said, crouching next to his record cabinet with a chocolate bar in his hand. "What're you doing here?"

"Where's my mom?" Buffy asked, ignoring his question.

"Right here, honey," Joyce said, coming out of the bathroom, a worried expression on her face. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, everything's fine," Buffy said dismissively. "What're you doing here?"

"We had an opportunity to talk more about our situation," Giles replied with a mouth full of chocolate.

"Our situation?" Buffy asked.

"Yes, you know, about the slaying. We thought you made a good point last night, Buffy," Joyce replied, sitting down on the couch. Faith watched the scene with a mildly amused expression on her face.

"I did?" Buffy asked in confusion. "Just to refresh my memory…what exactly was my point?"

"About us over scheduling you," Giles replied, sitting next to Joyce. Faith noticed that he made sure to leave some distance between them. "You may be correct in saying that we've been pulling you in two different directions, trying to make you devote yourself entirely to slaying and entirely to your home life at the same time."

"That was a good point, B," Faith said, sarcastically. "Guess that doesn't really apply to me though, huh? What with my lack of a home life and all." Buffy shot her a look.

"Really not that point," Buffy stressed. Faith shook her head in annoyance. Buffy was trying to shirk her duties again, which meant that even more responsibility would be placed on Faith's shoulders.

"What _is _the point then?" Faith asked a bit angrily.

"Girls," Joyce interrupted. "There's no need to quarrel about this. Let's just take a moment and relax."

Buffy and Faith both looked over at Joyce suspiciously. "Huh?" Buffy asked.

"Listen, why don't you and Faith run along," Giles said, standing. "We have some more to go over, scheduling and the like. We'll talk to you more about this once we've finished."

"That's a good idea," Joyce said, leaping to her feet and grabbed her purse from beside the couch. "Here, why don't you and Faith go out. Take the keys," Joyce said, pulling her car keys from her purse. "Mr. Giles can drive me home."

Buffy looked at her in astonishment, entirely forgetting about the reason they had come to Giles' apartment in the first place. "Seriously?" Buffy asked, reaching out and grabbing the keys before her mom could come to her senses.

"Of course, go out and have fun. We just have boring adult stuff to go over," Joyce replied, smiling.

"Cool," Buffy replied, grabbing Faith by the arm again, and pulling her toward the door. "Thanks."

"Drive carefully," Joyce called after them.

Faith closed the door behind them and looked over at Buffy. "You do realize that you're leaving them in there alone…together, right?"

"We've got the car keys, Faith," Buffy replied. "Do you have any idea how long I've waited for her to let me drive?"

"Not really," Faith replied, following Buffy as she started walking toward the parking lot.

"A very long time," Buffy responded. "We're gonna take full advantage of my mom's temporary loss of sanity."

"Sounds good to me," Faith replied, deciding that if Buffy didn't care about the possible ramifications of leaving Joyce and Giles alone together, she wouldn't either.

……………………….

Buffy insisted on stopping to pick up Xander and Willow before they headed to the Bronze. Faith moved into the backseat, conscientiously letting Willow sit next to her best friend in the front, while consciously realizing that by doing so, Xander would wind up sitting next to her. Besides, it was truly frightening sitting in the front with Buffy driving. At least in the back, she wouldn't be able to see what was coming. Buffy screeched to a halt in front of Xander's house. After a few seconds, he appeared and hopped into the back seat.

"Hey," he said, smiling over at Faith. Faith smiled back. Xander had barely closed his door before Buffy stomped down on the gas, propelling the car forward.

"I'd buckle up if I were you," Faith said.

"Yeah, why's that?" He asked, though he had a feeling he knew why.

"She drives like a maniac," Faith replied. Swinging the wheel around, Buffy took a wide turn down another street. Xander, caught off balance by the sudden movement, found himself flying across the car, and crashing into Faith. "See what I mean," Faith said lowly, noticing that her lips were only inches away from Xander's. Xander gulped and nodded slowly as the tension between them mounted.

"No wonder she failed her driver's test," Xander quipped, though he was too distracted by the unconscious movement of Faith's tongue darting out and wetting her lips to notice if she laughed or not.

Faith smiled slightly. "Not too surprising," she replied, leaning forward slightly, waiting for Xander to close the gap between them. She knew that he was into her, she had overheard his conversation in the library with Willow where he had said as much. However, she wanted to make sure that he was ready to move on and wasn't still attached to Cordelia.

Xander leaned forward, his eyes half closed. Faith could feel his breath against her face as their lips barely brushed. "Hey guys!" She vaguely heard Willow say from the front seat. Faith reached up and pulled Xander closer, crushing their lips together. She could feel his tongue running along her bottom lip, seeking entrance. Opening her lips slightly, she stifled a moan as Xander's tongue clashed with hers.

"Guys?" Willow asked, turning slightly in her seat to look back. "Oh my God!" She practically yelled.

"What?" Buffy asked, looking in the rearview mirror.

"Faith and Xander are making out in the back seat," Willow replied. At the mention of their names, Faith and Xander broke their kiss and looked over, seeing Buffy and Willow both staring at them.

"Watch the road, B," Faith replied, aggravated at being interrupted. Xander smiled sheepishly at Willow, who huffed a little before turning back in her seat and crossing her arms across her chest angrily.

"What's with her?" Faith asked, noticing Willow's reaction.

"No clue," Xander replied, shrugging a little as reclaimed his seat. Faith immediately noticed his absence, but smiled when Xander discreetly snaked his arm around her shoulders. Leaning against him, Faith caught Willow staring at them again in the side mirror. Something was up with her and Faith was determined to find out what it was.

………………………….

Buffy, Xander, Willow, and Faith stood just inside the door of the Bronze, their mouths practically scraping the floor. The club was full of middle-aged people, dancing, yelling, and drinking. Willow looked up at Oz, who was onstage playing with the Dingoes. Oz simply shrugged, just as confused as they were. "What the hell is going on?" Faith asked, noticing the rest of the people in the club, who were their age, looking around in confusion mixed with mild amusement as well.

"Old people have taken over the Bronze," Xander stated in shock.

"And it looks like they're tearin' it up," Buffy replied, pointing over to the bar where a group of people were gathered around a balding man. The bartender was pouring mixture of vodka and orange juice directly down his throat. The crowd cheered when the man downed it all and stumbled away happily.

"Somethin' supernatural has to be going on here," Faith muttered. "First Giles, now this."

"Let's check it out," Buffy said as the group wandered further into the club.

"I don't know if I can ever come here again," Xander said in amazement as he looked around the club. "I think all of our teachers are here tonight."

"Uh, guys?" Faith said, stopping mid stride. "I think your principal is coming our way?"

The group immediately stopped, looking for a place to hide, when Principal Snyder walked up to them and slung his arm around Xander's neck. Xander looked like he might vomit. "Hey, guys," Snyder bellowed. "This place is fun city, huh?"

"Fun city?" Faith muttered. "Who the hell talks like that?"

"Principal Snyder?" Buffy asked, looking over at him with a mixture of concern and repulsion.

"Call my Snyder. Just my last name…you know, it's cooler that way," Snyder said, turning back toward the stage and yelling his approval. He raised his fists into the air and pumped them wildly. The Scoobies slowly backed away from him, unsure what to make of his frankness with them and his out of control behavior. "Man, I'm so stoked," Snyder said, before charging back into the crowd of people gathered before the stage.

"Seriously, what's happening?" Xander asked, bordering on an anxiety attack.

"Relax, I'm sure everything is fine," Faith said reassuringly. "I mean, what's the worst that could happen?"

"Oh, I think it's happening," Willow said, shielding her eyes as a portly, older man clambered onto the stage and removed his shirt.

"Ye Gods," Xander replied turning away.

"That's just wrong," Buffy replied as the man wrestled the microphone away from the Dingoes lead singer, Devon. Yelling something unintelligible, he leapt off the stage into the crowd, which simply parted and let him fall to the ground.

"I think he might need a doctor," Faith commented, watching with curiosity.

"I think he _is _the doctor," Willow replied. "In fact, he's my doctor."

"Well, you'll always have that image of him burned into your brain," Faith replied jokingly.

"We really have to figure out what's going on here," Buffy replied seriously.

"Yeah, I mean, they're all acting like…," Willow trailed off. Buffy quickly picked up on her train of thought.

"They're acting like us," she said, the light going off in her mind.

"I don't act like this," Willow replied.

"Yeah, but you're sheltered," Faith joked. The Dingoes finished their set and Oz quickly left the stage, navigating the crowd until he was standing with the group.

"It must be some kind of spell," Buffy concluded.

"What's going on?" Oz asked, waiting to be filled in.

"All the adults are acting like teenagers," Xander explained.

"Come on, let's get out of here," Buffy said, starting toward the door. "This has Hellmouth written all over it."

"Hey, wait up!" Snyder called when he noticed the group leaving. "You aren't trying to ditch me are you?" He asked when they got to the car.

"I don't think there's room for him," Faith said, counting more people than the jeep could hold.

"I can't believe I'm going to say this, but just squeeze him in," Buffy replied. "It's safer for him here with us than wandering around out there alone," Buffy said, motioning vaguely into the night.

Faith nodded her agreement and climbed inside Joyce's jeep. The rest of the group followed suit and before long, they were all crammed into the vehicle. "Principal Snyder," Xander said, nodding over to Snyder. They were stuffed so tightly in the jeep that his leg was pressed against Snyder's.

"Xander," Snyder replied, happy at being included.

"I think I'm gonna die," Xander groaned. Faith tried to repress a chuckle, but failed, and Xander glared over at her.

"We need to find Giles," Willow said confidently. "He'll know what to do."

"I think Giles is a part of the new revolution," Faith replied.

"What?" Willow asked.

"He's reconnecting to his inner teen," Faith elaborated.

"Oh," Willow replied, deflated.

"We should find him anyway," Buffy said with determination. "From what I've gathered, Giles used to be a bad-magic-hates-the-world-ticking-time-bomb kinda guy."

"Really?" Faith asked, intrigued.

"Yeah, he used to have this nickname – Ripper," Willow explained. Faith smiled a little. Giles hadn't started out as the uptight Englishman that he had become. Based on what Buffy said, Faith imagined that he was much like her as a youth – angry, forgotten, and more than willing to rage against the world. Buffy stepped on the gas, eager to find Giles and her mother, who she imagined was still with her Watcher. The jeep sped into an intersection just as another car was approaching.

"Oh my God," Willow suddenly cried. "Look out!" The other car sped through its red light and slammed into the side of the jeep. Both cars span out of control, settling to a stop on opposite sides of the road.

Faith opened the door and practically fell out of the car. "I'm never riding with her again," she muttered to herself. The rest of the gang piled out of the car. The driver of the other car yelled something at them and took off down the street, laughing. "You want me to drag him back here?" Faith asked. Buffy shook her head as she walked around the car, inspecting the damage.

"You guys okay?" Buffy asked. Everyone nodded.

"Your mom's gonna kill you," Snyder said laughingly. Buffy glared at him. Snyder shrugged and pulled a candy bar out of his pocket.

"Nice wreck," a middle-aged man said, walking up to them. Walking around Snyder, he reached out and quickly snatched the candy bar, running off with it.

"Hey!" Snyder shouted, running after him.

"You know what I just noticed," Faith said looking around.

"What's that?" Buffy asked.

"All these people are out. Prime feeding time. And from what I can gather, no one's really paying attention to much of anything. So where are all the vamps?" Faith said.

"Something's happening somewhere else," Oz surmised.

"Something big, I'd say," Buffy concluded.

"That guy just took my candy bar," Snyder said sadly, rejoining the group.

"It's the candy," Buffy suddenly said. "It must be cursed."

"Everyone has it," Xander said. "The only people that bought any were adults."

"What's going on?" Buffy asked, grabbing Snyder by the shirt collar and slamming him against the jeep.

"Hey, let him go," Faith said, trying to intervene. "What makes you think he even knows anything?"

"She's right. I don't know anything," Snyder panted.

"Who's behind it?" Buffy practically growled. Faith stepped back, seeing that she was getting nowhere with the older slayer.

"It came through the school board," Snyder replied nervously.

"Do you know where we get can more candy?" Buffy asked. Snyder brightened.

"Yeah, I'll show you," he said eagerly.

"Okay. Will, Oz, Xander…go to the library and do some research," Buffy commanded.

"On what? Candy curses?" Xander said sarcastically.

"Disturbing second childhoods," Willow stated. "Come on," she said, pulling Oz and Xander away.

"What're we doing, B?" Faith asked.

"We're gonna find out what's going on."


	21. Band Candy Part 5

The Quickening

Previously:

"Okay. Will, Oz, Xander…go to the library and do some research," Buffy commanded.

"What're we doing, B?" Faith asked.

"We're gonna find out what's going on."

Chapter Twenty:

The jeep screeched to a halt outside of the Milkbar factory. Buffy grabbed Snyder by the collar of his shirt and hauled him out of the car while Faith trailed behind. A crowd was gathered in front of the factory's loading dock, waiting for candy bars that were being distributed by the factory's workers. Faith scanned the crowd, looking for any familiar faces. "Hey," she said, grabbing Buffy's arm before she slipped away into the crowd.

"What?" Buffy asked, releasing her hold on Snyder. He hesitated a moment before disappearing into the crowd.

"Your mom and Giles are over there," Faith said, pointing to them. They were standing in the back of the crowd. Giles was peering over top of the people in front of him, trying to find a way to get closer.

"Mom! Giles!" Buffy said, walking over to them. Giles looked over at her in annoyance.

"Go away, we're busy," he said, turning his attention back to the crowd.

"What're you doing here?" Faith asked, walking up beside him.

"We're waiting for more candy," Joyce replied.

"I think you've had enough," Buffy said in a rather motherly tone.

"It's cool, B. Let them have more if they want," Faith said, looking pointedly over at her. "In fact, how about we get a little closer; see if we can't score some ourselves. Sound good?" She asked, looking over at Giles. He was smiling over at her.

"Excellent. I see someone has her priorities straight," he responded, glaring back at Buffy.

"Fine, whatever," Buffy said, exasperated. "Let's get a closer look." The group wormed their way through the crowd until they were standing at the base of the loading dock. On a platform above them, workers were throwing candy bars out into the crowd while other workers loaded trucks with unopened boxes of chocolate.

"I think we can get in through there," Faith said, pointing to a door just behind the loading dock. No one appeared to be guarding it.

"Stay here," Buffy commanded, turning back to her mother and Giles.

"Like bloody hell we will," Giles replied indignantly.

"We don't have time for this," Faith said, turning to them. "Follow us inside, but don't wander off, got it?" She asked Giles and Joyce. They both looked at each other before nodding. "Good," Faith said.

Buffy walked ahead and kicked open the door, advancing into the factory. The others followed closely behind her. Faith brought up the rear, watching Giles and Joyce carefully. She was curious about Giles' past. After she got to know him, she had been certain that he was more like her than she initially would have thought. Her first impression of him had left much to be desired. Now, however, she wasn't so sure she really knew who he was and she desperately wanted to know more.

Buffy stopped walking suddenly. "What's up?" Faith asked, catching up to her. Buffy pointed to a man standing a few feet in front of them, talking on the telephone. "Who is he?" Faith asked, lowering her voice.

"Ethan Rayne," Buffy said sternly. Ethan turned and stared at her wide-eyed, nearly dropping the receiver.

"I'll have to call you back," he said, hanging the phone up. "What a surprise. You should have called ahead, I could have scheduled a tour for you," Ethan quipped. Giles, recognizing his old friend turned enemy, stepped forward menacingly.

"Ethan," Giles growled out. Faith turned to look at him, surprised in the change of his tone.

"Ripper," Ethan said, laughing nervously before darting away into the bowels of the factory.

"Wait here," Faith turned to yell back to Joyce as she, Buffy, and Giles sprinted after Ethan. Joyce nodded and plopped down on a packing crate, idly chewing her gum.

"Hey," Snyder said, coming up behind her. He had followed them into the factory, unbeknownst to them, looking for more chocolate. Joyce smiled over at him. "So, are you two…uh, going steady?" Snyder asked. Joyce simply rolled her eyes.

Ethan ran as fast as he could through the factory, dodging machines and packing crates. He looked back, seeing his pursuers lagging behind. He smiled to himself and slowed to a stop, looking for a place to hide. Old Ripper and the others would think that he had continued running. Ripping open a large, standing packing crate, he quickly stepped inside and replaced the cover. A few seconds later, Buffy, Faith, and Giles appeared. "Bloody hell," Giles said, doubled over and panting. "Where did he go?"

"That's what smoking will do to you," Buffy commented dryly.

"Let up on the old man, will ya," Faith said, looking around. "He kept up with us this far and we're slayers. I say he's in damn good shape," Faith commented, slapping Giles on the back. Giles smiled smugly over at Buffy.

"Someone appreciates me," he said. Buffy rolled her eyes.

"Shouldn't we keep going?" Faith asked.

"No, I don't think that will be necessary," Buffy replied. Walking over to a packing crate, she slammed her fist through the top. Rummaging around for a moment, she pulled her arm out of the crate, along with Ethan.

"Damn," Ethan muttered as Buffy yanked him out of the packing crate.

"Feel like having a conversation, Ethan?" Buffy asked sweetly.

"Not particularly," Ethan replied sarcastically.

"Hit him," Giles said enthusiastically.

"Yeah, B. I'm with G-man on this one," Faith snorted.

"I'd just like to point out that this wasn't my idea," Ethan replied quickly, as Buffy turned back to him.

"Whose idea was it then?" Buffy asked.

"Trick. I'm just working for him, you know. He's collecting this tribute to some demon," Ethan replied nervously. He knew that if Trick found out he had betrayed him, he'd be dead before sunrise. However, he also knew that Buffy wasn't above using violence to get information and, despite the fact that he and Giles were advancing in age, he was still afraid of his former friend. He was afraid of what Giles might do to him if he didn't give up what he knew, especially considering that Giles had reverted to his former self – the Ripper.

"He's lying," Giles said confidently. "Hit him."

"I don't think he is," Faith said, stepping forward. "Although I do think it would be fun to see him squirm a little," she said, cracking her knuckles. Ethan smiled nervously, backing away.

"Keep her away from me," he pleaded, looking over at Buffy.

"Oh, you're afraid of her, but you're not afraid of me?" Buffy asked indignantly.

"Of course not. It's just…you haven't given me _that_ look yet," Ethan replied.

"What look?" Buffy asked, glancing over at Faith, who had a rather menacing and wild look in her eyes. "Oh, that one," she commented. "You wanna see my version?" She asked, looking back over at Ethan.

"Lurconis," Ethan stated. "That's the name of the demon. He's collecting a tribute. It's so big that they needed something to distract everyone. People wouldn't let him take it if they knew what was going on. That's all I know, I swear," Ethan said, throwing his hands up in a defensive gesture.

"Where's Trick?" Buffy asked.

"I don't know," Ethan responded.

"Can I hit him now?" Faith asked, looking over at Buffy. Buffy stepped back and motioned for Faith to go ahead. Smiling, she whipped around and punched Ethan directly in the nose. The sickening crunch of his nose breaking resounded through the factory and he double over, clutching his face as blood poured down his chin.

"So, where's Trick again?" Faith asked, leaning over to look him in the eye.

"That was a bit much don't you think?" Buffy asked, looking away in disgust.

"I think it was bloody perfect," Giles said, laughing to himself.

"One more question," Buffy said, ignoring her Watcher. "What's the tribute?"

……………………………

Four vampires clad in flowing, black cloaks stepped into the maternity ward of Sunnydale General. As they advanced, they could see a nurse watching television at the nurses' station. The phones were ringing off the hook, but the nurse wasn't paying attention. In fact, when the vampires strolled passed, she didn't even look up. Turning down another hall, the vampires entered a room full of cribs, where the newborn babies the hospital had delivered were kept. Carefully, each vampire lifted a baby from its crib. Then, they walked out.

……………………………

"I don't know anymore about it, that's all I could get him to say," Buffy said into phone. She was talking to Willow, waiting to see if Willow could find out anything about the demon. Faith leaned back against one of the packing crates, tired of waiting. Her muscles were wound up tight and she wanted nothing more than to go out and kick a little demon ass. Ethan was standing beside her, his arms folded across his chest. His nose had stopped bleeding, but he looked rather angry. Faith smiled a little to herself and closed her eyes. Ethan looked over at her discreetly. A crowbar was lying on one of the crates only a few feet away from him.

He knew he would have to act quickly. Any movement on his part and Faith would be ready. At the moment, however, she wasn't paying attention. He darted forward and grabbed the crowbar. Faith, sensing his movement, opened her eyes, only to see the crowbar flying at her head. She knew she didn't have enough time to duck, so she steeled herself, waiting for the blow. The crow bar connected solidly with the side of her head and she saw stars explode in front of her eyes. Then she was falling toward the ground. The side of her head felt warm and reaching up, she felt her fingers become sticky with blood.

"Son of a bitch," Giles growled. Advancing, he reached back and pulled the gun he had stolen from the police officer, who he had beaten earlier, out of the back of his pants. He had stuck it there, letting his shirt cover it, as he and Joyce had done the deed on the top of the officer's squad car. Clicking the hammer back, he pointed the gun at the back of Ethan's head. Buffy, seeing the commotion out of the corner of her eye, dropped the phone and lashed her leg out, sweeping Ethan's feet out from under him. Ethan landed on his knees on the concrete floor and Giles stepped behind him, pressing the barrel of the gun against his head. Joyce, bored with the scene in front of her, picked up the phone and began talking to Willow.

"You really shouldn't have done that," Giles said angrily.

"Giles," Buffy said, stepping forward, sensing a catastrophe in the making. "Give me the gun." Giles simply glared at her, refusing. "Giles…," Buffy said, moving forward with her hand out.

"No," Giles replied.

"Now," Buffy said sternly.

"Uh, Buffy? It's Willow. She wants you real bad," Joyce said, holding the phone out to Buffy.

"Tell her to wait," Buffy replied. "Give me the gun, before I have to take it from you," Buffy said, turning back to Giles. Ethan looked like he was about to pass out from fear.

Faith grabbed onto one of the packing crates and pulled herself to her feet. She didn't have to look into a mirror to know that she had blood pouring down the side of her face. Ethan had hit her much harder than she anticipated. She felt a little dizzy. Turning, she saw Giles holding a gun to the back of Ethan's head. He looked as if he was about to pull the trigger. "Giles," Faith said her voice weaker than she had hoped. Giles looked back at her.

"Are you alright?" He asked.

"Yeah," Faith said, moving forward on wobbly legs. "Can I see that?" She asked, pointing to the gun. Giles looked down at it, hesitating a moment, before releasing the hammer, and handing it to her. Buffy sighed in relief and grabbed the phone from her mother.

"Shooting him wouldn't have been a good idea," Faith said as Giles steadied her.

"Why not?" Giles asked. "He deserves it."

"Yeah, he does," Faith agreed. "But if you would have killed him, what would you have deserved?" Faith asked. Giles smiled a little and nodded. Faith shoved the gun into the back of her pants and waited for Buffy to finish her conversation with Willow. Ethan looked up at her gratefully and Faith simply glared down at him.

"We have to go," Buffy said, suddenly hanging up the phone.

"What about him?" Faith asked, motioning to Ethan.

"We'll have to tie him up. Anyone see any rope?" Buffy asked, looking around.

"Um, would these help?" Joyce asked, holding up a pair of handcuffs. Faith chuckled to herself.

"Way to go, G," she said, instantly knowing what Giles and Joyce had been up to. Buffy looked at her mother, absolutely mortified.

"_Never_ tell me," Buffy stated, grabbing the handcuffs and cuffing Ethan to a pipe. "Let's go," she said once she had finished. She led them out of the factory, walking with a purpose.

…………………………

"We can find Lurconis in the sewers," Buffy stated as they walked out of the factory. "Willow said that his tribute is babies."

"He wants to eat babies?" Joyce asked, horrified.

"Yeah," Buffy replied.

"You know, you guys should just go ahead and do that thing with the demon," Snyder replied, stopping in his tracks. "I'll just wait here in case anything happens."

"You filthy, little ponce," Giles said, turning toward him. "You're afraid, aren't you?"

"Okay," Buffy said, stepping between them. "We're not gonna do this right now. Tomorrow, when everything is back to normal, if you want to see who's the bigger man, go ahead. But right now, we've got a bunch of babies to save. Snyder, go home. Giles, focus," Buffy said. Giles looked down at his shoes and nodded. Snyder, seeing that Giles wasn't paying attention to him anymore, ran off into the night.

Buffy and Faith stalked off to the nearest manhole cover with Joyce and Giles trailing behind. Ripping the cover off, Buffy dropped down into the sewers with Faith following closely after her. "Look what I found," Buffy said as she landed in the midst of the ritual. The vampires had exchanged their black cloaks for red ones and were standing around the babies, chanting in Latin. Trick stood in one corner and Mayor Wilkins stood in the other. Giles and Joyce dropped down into the sewer just as the vampires advanced on Buffy and Faith. The Mayor, sensing that his plans were completely destroyed, quickly left, disappearing into the sewer tunnels.

While Faith and Buffy were fending off the vampires, Giles and Joyce ran over to the table where the babies were laid out and quickly pushed it away from the fight. With two vampires down and three remaining, Faith and Buffy were feeling pretty good about their chances, until the ground started to shake. "What's going on?" Giles asked.

"The demon, I'd say," Buffy replied, shoving her stake into a third vampire. It exploded into dust and Trick stepped forward.

"I usually let other people do my fighting for me, but I just have to see what you got," Trick said.

"Just tell me when it hurts," Buffy said, turning to face him. Giles, however, had other plans. Rushing forward, he slammed his fist into Trick's face, only to find that the vampire was entirely unfazed. Grabbing Giles by the shirt, he threw the Watcher into a pool of water. The ground rumbled and Buffy nearly lost her balance. Faith staked her vampire and quickly rushed over to Giles, pulling him out of the water. Buffy pushed Trick back, looking for some way to kill the demon that was about to rise. She spotted an exposed gas pipe just above her head.

A giant snake demon rose up out of the water, hissing. Buffy leapt up and grabbed the gas pipe, ripping it down. Gas began to pour out of the pipe and Buffy wielded it around, angling it toward a torch that had been lighted for the ceremony. Flames burst forth and the snake demon roared back in pain, until it was entirely engulfed. The demon retreated down one of the tunnels as it burned. Trick watched her with an amused expression on his face.

"You and me girl," he said, pointing at her. "There's gonna be hard times ahead," he said, before taking off down another tunnel.

"Can we go home now?" Joyce asked, stepping forward from her hiding spot out of the way of the action.

"Yeah, I have the SATS tomorrow," Buffy replied, slinging her arm around her mom's shoulders.

………………………….

"Just tell me if it hurts," Giles said as he wiped Faith's wound with antiseptic. Faith winced a little but shook her head slightly.

"It's fine," she said.

"We should get this stitched up," Giles replied.

"Isn't necessary," Faith said, shrugging. "By the time the sun comes up, it'll just be a scratch." Giles nodded and continued to clean the wound. "So would you have really shot that guy?" Faith asked.

Giles stopped and looked down. "Yes," he replied as he reached for a bandage. He knew that in his Ripper days, he would have easily killed someone, and not in order to protect anyone he cared about. In those days, he would have killed someone just for the fun of it. However, now his priorities were a bit different. He could easily see himself killing someone to protect Buffy, Willow, Xander, or Oz. He didn't think that he had formed such a bond with Faith yet, however, he seemed to be wrong. He knew it wasn't just that he had reverted to his former self that his desire to protect Faith was so strong. It had developed over the time she had been living with him, though that time had been short. Just like he viewed Buffy as the daughter he never had, he was starting to view Faith the same way.

"So, the Ripper, huh?" Faith asked as Giles applied the bandage. Giles smiled a little.

"That was my old nickname, back in England," Giles replied.

"Seems like you were pretty different back then," Faith stated.

"Yes, one could say that," Giles responded. "My father worked for the Watcher's Council, as did his father before that. You could say that it's a bit of a family tradition. When I was younger, I didn't want to have any part of it. The entire system, it seemed corrupt to me, just like any kind of government – all about suppressing and controlling."

"Well, isn't it?" Faith asked.

"Perhaps," Giles commented. "I grew up learning about the supernatural. As a boy, I took to magics incredibly well. My skills only grew as I did. Eventually, I knew more than my teachers did. They warned me about fooling around with black magics, but I didn't listen. Black magic, it gave me the control over life and death. It allowed me to take the control back, if you understand me. Ethan and I, along with several others, formed a gang of sorts. We were all powerful in our own right. We lived for anarchy, we lived for chaos," Giles explained.

"But as I got older, I realized that there was more to the world than chaos. I realized that sometimes, governments, things like the Watcher's Council, are needed to protect society. If everyone just did what they wanted, there would be nothing to life for," Giles said. "I went crawling back to the Watcher's Council and begged for a chance to prove myself to them again. After a while, they agreed. Now, here I am," Giles said, smiling. "I hurt a lot of people before I got here though. I can't forget any of them. It's not an easy thing to live with the pain you've caused others."

Faith nodded. "I get that," she replied, looking up at him.

"I'm sorry," Giles said slowly, "if I did anything to you today."

Faith smiled a little and sat back in her chair. They were sitting in the kitchen, with an assortment of first aid supplies stacked around them. "It's cool," Faith said. "Just don't let me catch you smoking the ol' Mary Jane anymore, huh?"

Giles reddened and laughed. "Of course," he said. "That is one of the things from my past that I intend to keep there."

"Good," Faith said, looking away. His promise reminded her of the many times her mother would get high, and somewhat sentimental, and promise never to hurt her anymore. However, Faith could see through her mother's promises. After so many, she knew she that was lying. Looking into Giles' eyes, Faith knew that he meant his promise, unlike her mother. "My mother…she used to do a lot of drugs. I guess it was just a way to deal. We were broke, my father was in jail, and we had nothing. Now that I look back on it, I get that she just wanted a way to escape from everything. I'm still surprised that she didn't just leave one day. I guess some part of her felt obligated to stick around, for my sake, even though I probably would have been better off without her," Faith said, looking down at the table. She was almost afraid to look up at Giles.

"She overdosed, just before Kate came for me. I was sitting in the morgue when Kate walked in and laid the whole slayer deal on me. It was a lot to take in at first. I thought she was crazy, but she offered to put a roof over my head, so who was I to say no? I mean, it's not like I had shit anymore. So that's how I became a slayer," Faith said, laughing mirthlessly. "Not too glamorous huh?"

Giles reached across the table and took her hand in his. "It doesn't matter how you came into it. Just that you do it," he said. Faith looked up at him, her eyes shining with unshed tears. Giles smiled a little and gave her hand a squeeze. "Would you like some tea?"

Faith smirked at that. "If you're makin' it," she replied. Giles stood and walked over to the stove to put the tea on. Faith watched him busy himself in the kitchen. It felt good to open up to him. Closing her eyes, Faith leaned back in her chair. She imagined that from the outside, she and Giles would look like a happy family. She didn't have any family left and from what she could gather, Giles didn't either. Smiling, she thought that maybe it wasn't such a stretch to imagine that Giles could be her family.

"Cream or sugar?" Giles asked, turning back to her.

Faith shook her head and replied, "Plain is fine."


	22. Gwendolyn Post

The Quickening

Notes: Forgive the delay, I have been ill.

Previously:

Closing her eyes, Faith leaned back in her chair. She imagined that from the outside, she and Giles would look like a happy family. She didn't have any family left and from what she could gather, Giles didn't either. Smiling, she thought that maybe it wasn't such a stretch to imagine that Giles could be her family.

Chapter Twenty-One:

Faith stood just inside the entrance of the Bronze, her hands shoved in the pockets of her worn leather jacket. She was looking across the room, at a table where Willow, Oz, and Xander were sitting. Though she wanted to go over and join them, something made her stay back – the same thing that had made her distance herself from everyone in her life. She would never admit it to their faces, but Willow and Oz intimidated her. They were a part of the group, instantly accepted and loved. But Faith, no matter how hard she tried, always felt like an outsider. She knew that Xander was her friend, if not more, but Xander wasn't enough. She wanted to be a full-fledged member of the Scooby Gang, but she knew that Willow didn't like her.

Willow was less subtle about her fear of Faith. Faith could see it in the red head's eyes. Willow wanted to be like Faith, to have the confidence that Faith seemed to possess. People with that confidence scared Willow because she couldn't understand them. At the same time, Faith wanted to be like Willow – to have people that she could rely on without feeling like it would be the end of the world to do so. Sighing, Faith knew she wouldn't be going over to the table that night.

"I see someone's feeling a little excluded," Cordelia said, coming up behind Faith and stopping next to her.

"Not at all," Faith replied.

"So go over there then. Be with your friends. They _are_ your friends aren't they?" Cordelia asked smugly.

"You're a real bitch you know that?" Faith replied.

"So are you," Cordelia answered. "It's what protects us. What separates us from them."

"You were a part of their group, though," Faith argued. "You chose to leave."

"Are you kidding me?" Cordelia said laughing. "I was never a part of their group. They only put up with me because I was dating Xander. Willow hated me because I took her precious best friend away –which, by the way, she'll hate you for too. Oz couldn't have cared less if I was even alive and Buffy thought I was some air head bimbo without a clue."

"Aren't you?" Faith smirked. Cordelia smiled a little.

"It's easier just to let people believe what they want, Faith. They look at me and they see the bitch of the school, prom queen, cheerleader. They see someone and they don't want to look deeper because it would throw off their fragile, little balance to know that what they see isn't all there is to me," Cordelia responded with a tinge of sadness in her voice.

"Who's the real you then?" Faith asked, intrigued.

"The real me?" Cordelia laughed mirthlessly. "I haven't a clue. But I do know that I didn't help them vanquish the forces of darkness all that time because it was a fun extracurricular activity. And I didn't do it because Xander was there. I did it because it felt good to help people, to know that in some small way I was making a difference for someone," Cordelia replied.

Faith looked at her for several moments. "Well, if it's any consolation," Faith said, "I don't think you're such a bitch anymore."

"Thanks," Cordelia said sincerely. "It was nice, being with them. Gave me a chance to see what friends really are, even if they don't like you all that much. But people like you and me, Faith, we can never be one of them. All the positions are filled, if you know what I mean. At best, we can just walk beside them, but we'll never be the person they call first, or turn to when they help. We're just the backups."

"Yeah, I get that feeling sometimes," Faith replied. She watched as Buffy walked into the club, looking around, but not seeing her. The blonde slayer continued walking right passed Faith and Cordelia, over to the table where the others were sitting.

"See? She looks right through you," Cordelia stated. "Doesn't even know you're there. She's probably one of the most self centered people I've ever met, and that says a lot coming from me."

"I'm supposed to patrol with her tonight," Faith said.

"I take it you don't want to?" Cordelia snickered.

"Would you?" Faith replied, looking over at her.

"Good point. So skip it," Cordelia said. "Patrol by yourself. It's not like she'll care. You don't show up, she'll probably just stay here and dance the night away."

Faith smiled a little. "Be good, Cordy," she said before turning and walking out of the Bronze. Cordelia watched her go. Sighing, she looked back over at the Scooby Gang. She knew exactly what Faith was going through. She wanted to be able to walk over there and sit with them as well, but she couldn't do it. Instead, she walked over to the table where Harmony and some of her other so called friends were waiting and sat.

……………………

Faith wandered through Restfield Cemetery. She knew that she should feel guilty about ditching Buffy, but she didn't have the strength to deal with her that night. A rustling noise brought Faith out of her thoughts and she stopped. Her slayer senses were tingling and she knew that a vampire was close. She could practically taste it. Her nerve endings were alive, buzzing with energy. It felt like she had taken every drug in the world. Grabbing a stake out of the waistband of her leather pants, she turned around. A vampire had been trying to sneak up behind her.

The vampire charged once he realized that he had been made. Faith sidestepped him and ducked down, knocked his feet out from under him with a sweep of her legs. The vampire rolled over and sprang to his feet. Catching Faith off guard with his quick recovery, he grabbed her by the jacket and threw her against the wall of a mausoleum. Baring his fangs, he leaned in to bite her neck. Faith, however, still had her stake in her hand. Slamming it through the vampire's back, she watched as his eyes widened in shock before he turned to dust.

"Well, I must say, that was the sloppiest kill I think I've ever seen," a woman said, approaching Faith. She was dressed much like a female version of Giles, with her hair gathered up into a tight bun.

"Thanks," Faith muttered sarcastically, knocking some vampire dust off her clothes. "Who the hell are you?"

"Gwendolyn Post," the woman said, extending her hand. "I'm your new Watcher." After several seconds passed and Faith didn't shake her hand, Gwendolyn dropped it back down at her side.

"I already have a Watcher," Faith replied angrily.

"No, your Watcher died, Faith," Gwendolyn responded.

"No shit," Faith spat back. "You don't think I remember that? But I'm not talking about her, I'm talking about Giles. He'll do just fine. So why don't you just go back to England?"

"I'm afraid that's not an option," Gwendolyn replied. "I've been sent here to train you and I intend to do just that. Mr. Giles obviously hasn't been doing just fine, considering the terrible display I just saw. You're lucky you haven't been killed yet."

"Luck doesn't have anything to do with it," Faith replied, shoving her stake back into the waistband of her pants. "I'm leaving."

"Then I'm following," Gwendolyn replied. "Besides, I know where you're going. Right back to Mr. Giles, I presume? To tell him all about the mean lady you met in the graveyard today?"

"What do you want from me?" Faith asked angrily, spinning around to face her.

"I want to make you better than Buffy Summers," Gwendolyn replied. She could tell from the light that came into Faith's eyes that she had hit one of Faith's greatest desires.

"How do you intend to do that?" Faith asked, curious despite herself.

"I plan to actually train you, unlike Mr. Giles. By the time I'm done with you, you'll be the greatest warrior this world has ever known," Gwendolyn replied.

"A bit arrogant, are we?" Faith smirked.

"Not at all. I know what I can do. Do you?" Gwendolyn asked.

Faith was about to reply, but stopped short. Her dead Watcher, Kate, had always told Faith that she had a great deal of potential and that, as she grew in her confidence as a slayer, she would be able to tap into more power than she could imagine. But Kate had died long before Faith reached that level. While Giles trained her well enough according to her standards, he had two slayers to worry about. Post, however, seemed to care a great deal about making Faith into what Kate had thought she could be. It didn't hurt that Post thought she could be better than Buffy. "So when does all this training start?" Faith asked. Gwendolyn smiled.

"Tomorrow morning. I'll meet you in the school library. That's where you train, yes? Besides, I would like to meet Mr. Giles," Gwendolyn replied. Faith nodded. "I'll see you tomorrow then, Faith." Faith watched her walk away, disappearing back out of the shadows she had come from. She could tell from the way that Post had practically ground out Giles's name that she wasn't going to have any nice things to say to him when she saw him the next morning.

"I better warn him," Faith said, turning and walking in the opposite direction, back home.


	23. The Living Dead

The Quickening

Previously:

"Tomorrow morning. I'll meet you in the school library. That's where you train, yes? Besides, I would like to meet Mr. Giles," Gwendolyn replied. Faith nodded. "I'll see you tomorrow then, Faith."

Chapter Twenty-Two:

Faith sat on the stairs that led to the library stacks. Giles hadn't been very surprised when she told him about her visit from Gwendolyn Post the night before. He imagined it was only a matter of time before the Watcher's Council figured out where Faith was and sent someone to either retrieve her or train her. Giles was anxious about what Ms. Post planned to do with Faith now that she was in Sunnydale. Though Giles was almost certain that Faith's new Watcher would agree that having two slayers on the Hellmouth was certainly better than one, he couldn't guarantee that she wouldn't feel a change of location would be in order.

Faith didn't want to leave Sunnydale, but at the same time, she wanted to find out what she could really do with her skills as a slayer. With proper training and motivation, she felt like she could achieve great things. She thought those dreams had died a long time ago, but something stirred in her when Gwendolyn spoke to her the night before in the cemetery. Faith wanted to be more. She wanted to be great. When she was a child, she dreamed about being someone important and special. After a while, she learned that while dreams were nice things to have, they rarely ever came true. But then she became a slayer. For once in her life, she was special. After Kate was killed, Faith had to worry more about surviving than achieving greatness. Now, however, she had the opportunity she had been waiting for and she wasn't going to let it slip by her again.

Buffy didn't seem too happy about a new Watcher being in town, however. Faith watched as she talked to Giles in his office, her arms flailing about wildly as she gestured. Faith smirked, thinking perhaps that her blonde counterpart might be feeling threatened. Buffy didn't believe in Faith. When she looked at the dark haired girl, all she saw was her death staring back at her – her failure. But when Gwendolyn looked at Faith, she saw potential. Faith liked the idea of having someone believe in her, instead of hating her.

The library doors swung open and Gwendolyn strode inside, with her shoulders back and head held high. Faith smiled a little. She knew exactly what Post was doing. The Watcher's Council was a very old-fashioned organization. Though women could be Watchers, the role had traditionally been given to men. The fact that Gwendolyn had been picked to be Faith's Watcher meant that someone in the Council respected her. Gwendolyn couldn't let the Council down by failing, or showing any kind of weakness in front of her rival.

"Well, where is he?" Gwendolyn asked, looking around. Faith pointed at Giles's office.

"They've been in there for an hour. Don't know what they're talking about," Faith said.

Gwendolyn peered into the office and smirked. "Whatever it is, they don't look happy," she said smugly. Giles noticed her standing out in the library and instantly silenced Buffy. Opening the door, he and Buffy walked out into the library, smiling politely

"You must be Gwendolyn Post," Giles said, extending his hand.

"He has much better manners than you at least," Gwendolyn said, looking pointedly back at Faith. Faith shrugged.

"I didn't know who you were. You could have been some crazy bitch for all I knew," Faith replied.

"Well, I'm sure she's not," Giles responded.

"I've been looking around, Mr. Giles, and I have to ask. Where are the rest of your books?" Gwendolyn asked, moving away, and wandering about the library.

"Excuse me?" Giles asked, flustered. "The rest?"

"Yes, surely this isn't all you have. I can't see how you could possibly prepare your slayer with such little materials for research," Gwendolyn replied.

"I assure you, we do just fine," Giles answer indignantly.

"I've been hearing that a lot lately," Gwendolyn smirked.

"Why exactly are you here? Other than to criticize my abilities, of course," Giles asked, exasperated.

"The Council has sent me to become Faith's Watcher. They feel that you would be over extended taking on two slayers at the same time. As it is, they're not entirely sure you can handle one," Gwendolyn said, almost sneering.

"And you're fine with this?" Giles asked, looking over at Faith. Faith shrugged.

"She thinks she can handle me, who am I to deny her the pleasure?" Faith said.

"I don't like this," Buffy suddenly said.

"I'm sorry," Gwendolyn said, turning to her. "How is this any of your business?"

Buffy instantly reddened. "Well, Faith and I are like partners. I just don't think it would be good for us to split up the team."

"Oh, I see where this is going," Gwendolyn said, walking up to Buffy. "You like training and patrolling with her because it makes you feel better about yourself, yes? Because you think you're better than she is. You're afraid that if I train her, she'll become better than you. Then what will you have left?" Gwendolyn asked mockingly. "Your pretty blonde hair?"

Faith nearly burst out laughing. Giles immediately stepped between Buffy and Gwendolyn. "That's enough," he said sternly. Gwendolyn looked at him for several long seconds before nodding and backing away.

"As you wish," she replied. "However, the Council sent me here for another purpose as well," Gwendolyn stated.

"What, pray tell, might that be?" Giles ground out.

"A demon called Lagos is coming to Sunnydale. He's looking for a very powerful, ancient artifact – the Glove of Myhnegon. Obviously, this artifact cannot fall into the demon's hands," Gwendolyn explained.

"What do you propose we do?" Giles asked. Faith raised her hand.

"I got an idea," she said. Gwendolyn nodded over at her. "Maybe we should, I don't know, kill him?" Gwendolyn laughed and turned back to Giles.

"She read my mind," Gwendolyn stated. Buffy and Giles both glared over at Faith.

"What?" She asked, smirking. "Lighten up."

"I suggest you and Buffy take up the hunt," Gwendolyn said. "Rumor has the Glove buried in a tomb here in Sunnydale. First thing Lagos does when he arrives will be to locate it. With you both out there, we should be able to stop him from acquiring it."

"Yes, that sounds reasonable," Giles replied.

"Good. Mr. Giles, may I suggest you do some research to, perhaps, narrow our search for the Glove? Faith," Gwendolyn said, turning to her new charge. "Come with me, please?"

"Sure, boss," Faith said, leaping to her feet and following Gwendolyn out of the library.

"What's up with them?" Buffy asked. "I thought Faith hated authority figures."

"She does," Giles said. "Obviously, Ms. Post has given her a good reason to cooperate."

"Like what?"

Giles narrowed his eyes. "I don't know. But I think we should find out." When Buffy had walked away, Giles looked back at the library doors and muttered, "Crazy bitch."

………………………

Giles took off his glasses and wiped his eyes. He had been reading through practically every volume he had, but he couldn't find any information on Lagos. Only a few volumes remained, stacked in front of him. Opening one, he began to flip through the pages, when he stumbled upon a picture of the demon in question. "Ah!" He exclaimed in relief.

"What's up?" Xander asked, leaning over and looking at the book.

"I found our demon," Giles replied happily. "Like I said, we're just fine," he muttered to himself.

"What?" Xander asked, looking over at him.

"Nothing," Giles replied. "Where's Buffy?"

Xander glanced around the library. "Not here," he responded. Giles glared up at him.

"Obviously. Never mind. You'll do just fine. The crypt is in Restfield Cemetery. Do you think you could check it out? Nothing heroic, mind you. Just take a look around?" Giles asked.

"Yeah, sure," Xander said, already heading out. "Not a problem."

"Thanks!" Giles called after him.

Xander knew the way to Restfield like the back of his hand. Easily maneuvering through all of the back alleys and shortcuts, he quickly came to the cemetery gates. He had hoped that Faith would be in the library for the research party. However, with her new Watcher in town, he imagined she had a great deal to do. Xander just hoped that things with the new woman worked out. Faith had been seriously burned when Kate died and he knew that she couldn't take any more disappointment.

"This was a really bad idea," Xander mumbled to himself as he hid behind some bushes outside of the crypt. "Why don't I just volunteer for the suicide missions more often?" Hearing a noise coming from the crypt, he immediately stopped talking to himself. The doors of the crypt opened, creaking into the night, and a shadowy figure stepped out. Xander's eyes went wide with shock when the moonlight fell on the figure's face.

"Angel," he whispered. Angel slipped away into the shadows and Xander quickly followed after him. He followed the vampire across town until they reached Mansion Row. Angel slipped into one of the giant houses and Xander followed, sneaking up to one of the windows, and peering inside. To his shock, he saw Buffy waiting inside. Angel dropped something on a coffee table and walked up to her. Wrapping her arms around Angel's neck, Xander watched as Buffy kissed him passionately.

He could barely believe his eyes as he muttered, "What the hell…"


	24. Location Revealed

The Quickening

Notes: I will be getting a new computer sometime this week, so there may be delays in my updates when I'm switching things over.

Previously:

Xander's eyes went wide with shock when the moonlight fell on the figure's face.

"Angel," he whispered.

Chapter Twenty-Three:

Faith sat at the kitchen table, watching Giles and Gwendolyn bickering over some book in the living room. She knew her new Watcher was starting to grate on Giles's nerves, but she didn't want to step in. Her relationship with Gwendolyn was still very new and she didn't want to overstep her bounds. At the same time, she could tell that Giles could only handle so much of the uptight British woman's criticisms. As much as Faith wanted to be the great warrior Gwendolyn seemed to think she could be, Faith wasn't so sure that she and Gwendolyn were a perfect match. While Faith was far more laid back about things, Gwendolyn was incredibly uptight. She reminded Faith of the overachiever girls at her old high school, who wanted to be in the top echelon of everything. Faith knew she wasn't that type of person and it felt like Gwendolyn was trying to turn her into someone she most definitely was not.

Yet, she wanted to be able to prove to Buffy that she could be just as good of a slayer, if not better. She knew she would have to take things up a notch if she wanted to get any recognition for her talents from her sister slayer. "Ms. Post…," Faith could hear Giles begin to say, in a voice that ached of annoyance. Suddenly, Giles was interrupted by a fierce and hurried banging on the door. Faith looked up.

"I'll get it," she said, moving over to the door. Gwendolyn and Giles focused their attention on the books in front of them again as Faith opened the door. Xander practically bolted inside the apartment. "Hey, X, what's the rush?" Faith asked, stepping aside to keep from being knocked over.

"We've got a big problem," Xander said, panting. He had run all the way to Giles's apartment from Mansion Row.

"What's wrong, Xander?" Giles asked, turning to look at the boy.

"It's Buffy," Xander said breathlessly. Giles quickly stood and motioned for both Xander and Faith to follow him.

"Would you like some assistance?" Gwendolyn asked smugly. Giles smiled as politely as he could and shook his head. Then he led Faith and Xander into Faith's bedroom. Shutting the door behind them, he turned to Xander.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

"I saw Angel tonight," Xander replied. Giles looked up at Xander sharply.

"Buffy's old boy toy?" Faith asked, still out of the loop on the entire Angel story.

"Yeah, Buffy's ex boyfriend who turned all evil on us and tried to kill everyone," Xander said bitterly. "Although, from what I saw tonight, I wouldn't really call him Buffy's ex."

"What exactly did you see?" Giles inquired.

"Buffy and Angel kissing," Xander responded.

"That's totally gross," Faith muttered. Giles and Xander looked over at her. "What? It is. It's like kissing a corpse, and the last time I checked, bumping nasties with dead people was kinda illegal."

"She's been hiding him from us," Giles said, sitting down at Faith's desk chair.

"Which means that she knows it's wrong, but she doesn't care," Xander replied, dropping down onto Faith's bed. Faith sat beside him.

"Stupid question, probably, but what exactly did Angel do that's so terrible?" Faith asked. "Nobody's ever really filled me in."

"Angel, or Angelus as his demon prefers to be called," Giles said, "terrorized Buffy and her friends for several months. He would show up at Buffy's house and harass her mother. He killed Willow's goldfish. Not to mention the many threats he made on our lives."

"He arranged this attack on us at the library that left me with a broken arm, Willow in a coma, and the slayer before you dead," Xander added.

"And he killed someone I cared for very deeply," Giles finished, looking down at his hands, which were folded in his lap.

"He's a bad guy," Xander said. "Buffy may be able to forgive him for everything he's done, but I sure as hell can't."

"Apparently, he has his soul back now," Giles said, looking up again. "Otherwise, Buffy wouldn't be with him. However, I do find her blatant disregard for the injuries Angel has caused to be rather appalling."

"So what should we do?" Faith asked.

"Kill him," Xander replied. Giles smiled dryly.

"I'm afraid it's not as simple as that," he said. "If we did kill him, I fear we would completely alienate Buffy. Though her actions in allowing Angel back into her life are questionable, she has very strong emotions towards him. She's probably not thinking clearly. I fear she would retaliate if we tried something that she didn't approve of."

"Great, so we can't hurt Buffy's precious feelings, what are we supposed to do then?" Xander asked in frustration.

"I believe our best course of action at this point is simply to talk with her. Try to reason with her. Perhaps, even understand why she's seeing him, why she's hiding him. She may have some reason that we have yet to think of," Giles replied.

"Or she may be hiding him because she knows exactly what we're thinking," Faith said. "That he's a vampire, a dangerous vampire. I don't know about you, but my old Watcher was pretty clear about where vampires stood in relation to a slayer. There's no loving relationship there. Slayers kill vampires, end of story."

"That's my girl," Xander said, shooting Faith a small smile. Faith smiled back, looking away when Giles noticed their exchange. He knew something was going on with Faith and Xander, but he hadn't been able to identify exactly what. Now, however, as he watched the two teens, he could easily see their attraction to each other. More than that, he could see in Xander's eyes how much he cared for the girl sitting next to him. Faith, on the other hand, was far more difficult to read.

"None the less," Giles said, recapturing their attention, "I still think our best option at this point is simply to talk to Buffy about Angel. Tomorrow morning, we'll stage an intervention of sorts."

"Sounds like a plan," Xander replied.

"Good," Giles said, standing. "I suppose I should go check on Gwendolyn," he said rather forlornly. "Stay as long as you like," he said to Xander before exiting the room.

"Thanks for backing me up," Xander said, looking over at Faith. Faith nodded.

"You know my stance on vampires," Faith replied.

"There's no good vampire except a dusted one?" Xander joked.

"Exactly," Faith responded.

"So, I was thinking…," Xander said, looking down at his hands nervously, "that after all this stuff with Angel dies down, maybe you'd like to go out sometime?"

Faith looked over at him and smiled. "Like on a date?" She asked. She had never really been on a date with a guy before. She had met up with lots of guys in different places, but that was just for sex.

"Yeah," Xander replied.

"I'd like that," Faith responded softly. She had always felt like she was somehow missing out on something by not being in a relationship with anyone. On the one hand, she enjoyed the freedom that casual sex granted her. She didn't have to become emotionally attached to anyone, only to be disappointed when things didn't work out. However, she also liked the idea of being able to rely on someone – on having someone be there for whatever life threw at her. She had always depended on herself, but looking back on her life, she knew that things would have been much easier if she had opened herself up to someone, had let someone help her.

"Good," Xander said, smiling happily. "I should probably go." Both he and Faith stood, but as he turned to go, Faith reached out and grabbed his arm. Pulling him back to her, Faith leaned up on her tiptoes and gently brushed her lips against his.

"See you tomorrow," she whispered, her lips hovering a fraction of an inch from his. Xander smiled a little as she pulled away and nodded, unable to find his voice. Faith watched as he walked out of her room in a daze and smiled to herself.

……………………

Xander roughly shoved open the library doors. The intervention with Buffy had just ended. Buffy didn't seem to care at all that she was harboring a dangerous, killer demon. Inadvertently, she had even revealed that Angel was in possession of the Glove – an ancient artifact that was known to give its wearer unlimited power. He knew he shouldn't have been so hard on Buffy, yet her selfishness astounded him at times. He didn't understand how she could so easily forgive and forget the things that Angel did to the people that she loved. Xander didn't believe he was the type of person who held a grudge, but there were just some things that could not be forgiven.

"Hey," Faith said, nearly running into Xander as she turned a corner in the hallway. "You looked pissed."

"Things didn't go well with Buffy," Xander replied.

"Where are you going?" Faith asked, noticing that Xander was walking toward one of the exits. "Don't you have classes?" It was late in the afternoon and the school day had almost ended. However, Faith was nearly positive that Xander had one class left.

"Angel has the Glove," Xander replied. "Apparently he's protecting it."

"But you don't buy that for a second," Faith concluded.

"Not at all. It needs to be somewhere safe, not with him," Xander replied.

"So naturally you thought you'd pop in and pick up the damn thing?" Faith asked, annoyed at Xander's complete disregard for his personal well-being. Xander meant well, but he was not strong enough to ward off an attack if a demon saw him transporting the Glove back to the library. Xander smiled and shook his head.

"No, naturally I thought I'd go find you and then pick up the damn thing," he replied. Faith looked down at her feet and laughed out of embarrassment at her hurried presumption. "I know I tend to rush into things," Xander said, "but I'm not stupid enough to rush into Angel's place by myself. That guy freaks me out."

"So we're going then?" Faith asked, turning back to the exit. Xander smiled and began to walk with her.

"Yeah, we're going."

………………………….

Gwendolyn Post walked into the Sunnydale library. Immediately, she noticed that the very reason for her coming there wasn't present. She and Faith were supposed to meet for training. However, either Faith was late, as usual, or she had decided not to show up. Gwendolyn sighed out of frustration. She was glad that she wasn't really the girl's Watcher. She had told Faith over and over how she believed that the dark haired slayer could be one of the greatest warriors the world had ever known, but all of her words had been lies. She could barely believe that Faith was still alive. She lacked any kind of talent. Her raw passion was the only thing that gave her the advantage in a fight, certainly not any skill.

"Ah, Ms. Post," Giles said, popping out of his office. "You're here for Faith, I presume?"

"Yes, where is she?" Gwendolyn asked, making sure that her voice was calm and even. She didn't want to betray her true feelings. But in fact, she hated Sunnydale and everyone in it. Giles was an incompetent fool. His slayer, Buffy, was even more incompetent at her job than Faith was, which said a great deal. Giles had abandoned all of the traditional means of training a slayer and it clearly showed in the way Buffy fought.

"She's not here yet," Giles replied. "She was still sleeping when I left this morning. I didn't have the heart to wake her." Faith had looked so peaceful sleeping that Giles couldn't bear the thought of denying her that time to be at rest. There was such anguish written in Faith's eyes. The pain of her past and the pain of a future yet to come lingered in the windows to her soul. That pain made her look much older than she really was. It was almost as if some great tragedy lie behind her eyes. But when she was asleep, the pain faded away, and she looked incredibly young.

"I'm trying to teach her discipline, Mr. Giles. If you're going to subvert all of my efforts, I'll have to insist that she comes to live with me," Gwendolyn stated.

"That won't be necessary," Giles shot back. "By the way, we've located the Glove. It's being kept safe in a mansion on Crawford Street until we can destroy it."

"Destroy it?" Gwendolyn asked.

"Yes, I didn't believe that it could be done either," Giles replied, mistaking her question for surprise that such a task could actually be done. "We must transform fire into the Living Flame to immolate the Glove."

"Well, I must say, Mr. Giles, I'm impressed. Good show," Gwendolyn said, allowing Giles a moment of pride. However, the fool had just handed her the location of the Glove on a silver platter.

"Thank you," Giles said. "That's very kind of you. Tea?" He asked.

"Of course," Gwendolyn said. As Giles turned his back, she lifted a wooden, tribal statue from one of the library tables and hit him on the back of the head with it. Giles immediately went down, knocked unconscious. "Good show indeed."


	25. The Beginning of the Fall

The Quickening

Notes: Everything is now back up and running. Thanks for the reviews.

Previously:

"Well, I must say, Mr. Giles, I'm impressed. Good show," Gwendolyn said, allowing Giles a moment of pride. However, the fool had just handed her the location of the Glove on a silver platter.

Chapter Twenty-Four:

"Giles won't be home," Faith said, sliding her key into the lock on the front door of the apartment she shared with Buffy's Watcher. "He called Gwendolyn Post to the library, had some big news on the research front that he wanted to tell her. By the time we're done at Angel's and return everything, he won't even know that we took anything."

Xander stepped inside the apartment behind Faith. He remembered coming there many times before Faith moved in with Giles. It had always looked perfect and pristine. Nothing was ever out of place. It resembled Giles himself in many ways the first year or so that Xander had known him. For a long time, Xander could only see the projection that Giles displayed for the world – the uptight Watcher who liked to drink tea and research apocalyptic events. However, as Xander got to know him better, he found that Giles was far rougher around the edges than he had imagined. His apartment was starting to look the same. Xander could see some of Faith's belongings littering the tabletops. One of her worn, leather jackets was thrown across the back of the couch. The items gave the place a lived in feel, made it seem more like a home instead of just an apartment.

"The weapons are over there," Faith said, motioning to a wooden chest in the corner. "Should be enough to go around."

"Excellent," Xander said, moving over to the chest and throwing the lid open. He pulled out several stakes and shoved them in the waistband of his jeans. Faith walked over. "Remember, we're not going there to kill him necessarily."

"Unless, of course, he's using the Glove," Faith added.

"Yeah, then by all means, dust the bastard," Xander said. "Got everything?"

Faith nodded as Xander closed the chest. "Lead the way," she said. Xander walked briskly out of the apartment. His evening spent as a soldier the Halloween before had taught him how to focus on the eve of battle. He knew that Faith's presence would disturb Angel and more likely than not, some blows would be exchanged before Angel willingly handed over the Glove. However, he was prepared to do whatever it took to back up Faith and ensure that Angel didn't remain in possession of such a dangerous, magical weapon. He could only imagine what Angelus would have done with it and he didn't want to have a chance to find out personally.

Leading Faith out of the apartment, they began walking toward Mansion Row at a rather fast pace. "I hope he's alone," Xander said, breaking the silence that had fallen between them as they walked. "If Buffy's there, she's not gonna be too happy about us showing armed and ready to storm the place."

"She'll have to deal," Faith replied. "I'm not going to bow down to her like the rest of you do. Angel has the Glove – a dangerous weapon that could wreak havoc on this town if it fell into the wrongs hands. How do we know that Angel isn't really Angelus, just playing the part to try to weasel his way back into Buffy's trust only to betray her again?" Faith stated. Xander looked thoughtful.

"I hadn't thought of that," he admitted, fearful scenarios of a repeat performance by Angelus running through his mind. He involuntarily shivered. Faith caught his reaction out of the corner of her eye.

"He really scares you, doesn't he?" She asked softly. Xander grinned reproachfully.

"I know what you're thinking. I'm such a coward, right?" Xander said with a hint of self-loathing in his voice.

"That's not what I was thinking at all," Faith replied. "You hate Angelus. You're terrified of him. But we could be headed right for him and you're going anyway. That's not cowardly, Xander. That's pretty damn brave."

"Thanks," Xander said, blushing a little and looking down at his feet. "It's kinda selfish though really."

"Why's that?" Faith asked, looking over at him. The mansion loomed ahead of them as they entered Mansion Row. The lights were off inside the house and they quietly snuck around to the back.

"I just don't want to see you get hurt," Xander replied. Faith looked over at him. The sun was setting and they were crouching beneath a window.

"With you around, I'm pretty sure I won't," Faith responded. Xander gave her a pointed glare.

"No need to mock," he said.

"Hey, you saved my life once already, remember? The way I see it, you're my good luck charm," Faith replied, looking in through the window. She could see a fire roaring in the fireplace. The Glove was sitting on a coffee table just in front of the fire. It was lying on top of a pile of dusty rags. Suddenly Angel paced into view. "There he is," Faith said before Xander had a chance to respond. "Let's go say hi."

………………………..

Buffy and Willow walked into the library of the Sunnydale High School expecting to see Giles seated in his usual place at one of the heavy, oak tables. Instead, silence greeted them. "Anybody here?" Buffy asked as they walked further into the room. "Giles?"

"I don't see him anywhere," Willow stated. She and Buffy had just been at the cemetery. Buffy defeated Lagos and they wanted to report back to the library to tell Giles the good news. Even though the Glove was a dangerous instrument, they didn't have to worry about it falling into Lagos's hands anymore.

"He said he was going to be here. In fact, he said that Gwendolyn Post would be here too," Buffy said.

"Maybe they went out for dinner or something," Willow suggested. Buffy laughed a little and looked over at her. Willow shrugged. "It was just a thought."

"Oh well, I guess we'll just have to check in tomorrow morning," Buffy said as she and Willow turned to leave. Suddenly they heard a low, painful moan coming from Giles's office. Buffy quickly looked over at Willow before moving to the office door.

"Will, he's in here," she said hurriedly, kneeling down beside Giles, who was still unconscious on the floor from the blow Gwendolyn Post had inflicted upon his head.

"I'm gonna call 911," Willow said once she saw Giles. Rushing over to the phone, she picked up the receiver and dialed. Giles's eyes fluttered open and Buffy grabbed his hand.

"You're gonna be okay," she said soothingly.

"Buffy…" Giles muttered weakly. "You must…destroy the Glove. Gwendolyn Post…not who she says she is," he rasped out.

"What do you mean?" Buffy asked, fear suddenly striking her heart.

"She wants the Glove," Giles replied with more strength. "Need to destroy it with…Living Flame," he replied before his eyes rolled back in his head and he lost consciousness again.

"Will," Buffy said, moving over to her friend. "Stay with him. I need to get the Glove."

…………………………

Faith and Xander were about to charge into the mansion when they saw Gwendolyn Post walking through Angel's living room towards the souled vampire. "What is she doing here?" Xander asked, looking in through the window.

"Giles probably sent her to get the Glove," Faith replied. They couldn't hear anything that was going on inside the mansion from where they were. However, they could see everything. The fire had roared up suddenly just before Gwendolyn walked in, turning a deep shade of red that was nearly impossible to look at for more than a second at a time.

"Well, here's our chance to see which side Angel is really on," Xander muttered.

"What do you mean?" Faith asked.

"If he gives her the Glove, he's not Angelus. However, Angelus wouldn't part with it…not even to prove his trustworthiness to Buffy," Xander replied logically. Faith nodded. They watched as Gwendolyn stepped closer to Angel. Angel's eyes shifted over to the Glove. Suddenly, his face morphed into that of his inner demon. Faith and Xander both leapt to their feet as Gwendolyn grabbed a nearby shovel for what they presumed was an effort at self-defense.

Busting in through the back door, Faith and Xander ran into the living room just as Angel grabbed Gwendolyn by the back of the neck and threw her against the opposite wall. She slumped down to the floor and remained there. "You're gonna wish you hadn't done that," Faith growled, rushing forward with a flurry of blows that hit Angel squarely on the chest and knocked him backwards. Faith felt a familiar burn rise up in her heart as she glanced over at Gwendolyn. She hadn't known her new Watcher as long as she had known Kate, but she had started to become attached to Gwendolyn and her way of doing things. The situation reminded her all too well of the night Kakistos tortured and murdered Kate. Faith had promised to herself that she would never let the same thing happen again.

"You don't understand," Angel began, backing away from her.

"Oh, I think I do. What should I be calling you, by the way, Angel or Angelus?" Faith spat angrily.

"Hey!" Xander said, capturing Faith's attention as he tossed her a stake.

"Xander," Angel warned, looking over at him.

"Don't even start with me, man," Xander replied. "I still remember how much it hurt when I heard the bones in my arm snap."

Faith shot forward again while Angel was distracted and pummeled him in the side of the head with a rapid set of punches. Angel fell to the floor, but recovered quickly enough to sweep Faith's feet out from under her. Faith fell to the ground hard, hitting her head against the stone floor. Xander restrained himself from rushing forward when he saw Faith rise to her feet. Angel lifted himself off the ground and turned to face her. "You're both with her?" Angel asked, motioning back toward Gwendolyn.

"She's my Watcher," Faith replied.

"Then there's no way in hell you're getting that Glove," Angel snarled.

"We'll see about that," Faith replied. Angel rushed forward. Faith, anticipating his attack, sidestepped him and slung her arms around his neck, dragging him to the ground. She delivered several punches to the side of his head before he kicked out of her hold. However, he didn't recover in time to prevent her from lifting him up and throwing him across the room. He landed against the wall and remained there, stunned. Faith advanced toward him with the stake in her hand. She was about to drive it through his heart when an arm shot out of nowhere and restrained her. Faith looked up in confusion, only to see Buffy standing next to her.

"What're you doing here?" Faith asked. Buffy replied with a swift uppercut that knocked Faith off her feet. The stake flew out of her hand, rolling towards the fire.

"Buffy, what're you doing?" Xander asked, stepping forward.

"What does it look like?" Buffy asked, ducking as Faith wildly swung at her. Buffy jabbed her in the ribs several times. She thought she heard something crack and Faith exhaled in a sharp hiss. Grabbing her from behind, Buffy threw her several feet away. Faith landed near the coffee table and rolled over, pain flooding her senses. Buffy quickly knelt down beside Angel. "I need you to destroy the Glove with the Living Flame," she explained.

"I was in the process of doing that when they showed up," Angel replied. Buffy turned back to Faith. Xander had moved over to her.

"Get away from her," Buffy said.

"Why, so you can punish her for trying to kill that monster?" Xander replied. "No way."

"Xander…I said move," Buffy commanded forcefully. Xander hesitated for a moment; recalling how earlier Faith had insinuated that everyone always bowed to Buffy's demands. Smiling, he stood his ground as Faith struggled to her feet beside him.

"No," he replied.

"Your choice," Buffy replied, moving over to him and striking him once in the face. Xander went down hard, losing consciousness as his head hit the floor. Faith glared up at Buffy.

"Oh, it's on now," she snarled. Buffy rushed forward, trying to kick one of Faith's knees out. The blow landed, but Faith fell forward on top of Buffy, instead of backwards like Buffy had anticipated. Faith held the advantage as she sat upright on top of Buffy. Buffy tried unsuccessfully to buck her off as Faith landed several strategically placed punches that she knew Buffy would be feeling the next day.

"Faith!" Buffy yelled, knocking the dark haired slayer off. "You don't understand what's going on here."

"I think I understand pretty well," Faith replied, rising to her feet, and nursing her broken ribs. "Angel…deadly vampire Angel….has the Glove. He attacked my Watcher. Something tells me he isn't playing for our side anymore."

"You're wrong," Buffy replied.

"Faith…" Gwendolyn weakly moaned, waking up. "Don't listen to her, she's blinded by love. You have to stop her."

Faiths looked over at Gwendolyn, down at Xander, who was still unconscious on the floor, and then back up at Buffy. Buffy could see the wheels of thought spinning in Faith's mind. "Don't do this," Buffy pleaded with her.

"Too late," Faith replied, rushing forward. She kicked Buffy in the side, effectively knocking the wind out of her. She tried to deliver another set of blows, only to have Buffy block them all. However, she was able to block Buffy's attacks as well. After fighting exhaustively for several minutes, both slayers could see that they were getting nowhere. However, while their attention was turned to each other, and while Angel was reciting the necessary passages in Latin to produce the Living Flame, Gwendolyn had snuck over to the coffee table where the Glove rested.

Xander rolled over, moving out of the way of the still fighting slayers, as he regained consciousness. "Damn," he muttered, touching his tender head. "That hurt." He couldn't believe that Buffy had hit him. Looking up, he watched as Buffy threw a brick at Faith, hitting her in the side of the head. Faith lost her balance and fell backwards into the wall as blood seeped out of a cut just above her eye.

"Finally," Gwendolyn muttered, reaching out and grabbing the Glove. Her words caught Xander's attention and he watched in horror as she put the Glove on her hand. It latched onto her arm and she screamed in pain. Buffy and Faith both stopped fighting and looked over at her. Faith instantly knew that she had been played. Her Watcher had betrayed her for the Glove. She thought she had been fighting for the right side. Now, however, she knew that she had been wrong.

Stretching her arm out and smiling wickedly, Gwendolyn muttered something unintelligible. "Shit," Faith murmured, as lightening lit up the sky and bolted down, piercing the Glove. "What's going on?"

Gwendolyn looked over at her. "Ah, Faith. Naive, stupid Faith. Did you really think I came here for you? Please. You're pathetic. A slayer? No, Faith, you're nothing. You're not even the dirt that I walk on. You're not fit to be called a slayer," Gwendolyn said maliciously. Faith looked down to keep her from seeing the look of pain that shot through her eyes. Gwendolyn's words reminded her very much of similar things that her mother had said to her. "Now…it's time I show you what power really is," she said, aiming the Glove at Buffy and Faith. A bolt of energy shot out of the Glove and the slayers scrambled out of the way.

"Take cover!" Faith shouted over at Xander, noticing that he was awake. Xander nodded and ducked behind the doorway.

"Can you draw her fire?" Buffy asked, looking over at Faith. Instead of a look of triumphant pride on Buffy's face, like Faith had expected to see, she saw one of remorse and sorrow. Faith nodded.

"Yeah," she replied, moving forward. Faith ran from one end of the room to the other, drawing fire from Gwendolyn as she went. Buffy snuck over to a pile of broken glass – part of a window that had been damaged in her fight with Faith – and retrieved a large, pointy shard. Moving behind Gwendolyn as she shot at Faith again, Buffy lifted the shard.

"I have the Glove," Gwendolyn. "With the Glove comes the power."

"I'm getting that," Buffy replied. Gwendolyn turned to look at her in surprise. Before she could move, Buffy threw the glass shard at her. It pierced her upper arm, slicing through skin and bone to sever it from her body. The Glove landed on the floor and began to randomly shoot lightening out from the fingers. Faith ducked behind the doorway with Xander and Buffy scrambled behind some furniture. The lightening bolts repeatedly pierced Gwendolyn through the chest and she screamed in agony. Suddenly, the screaming stopped, as did the lightening. When everyone looked up, Gwendolyn was gone and the Glove lay still on the floor.

While Buffy and Xander helped Angel prepare the Glove for removal back to the library, Faith snuck away. She slowly walked back to town, her ribs burning every time she took a breath. Lifting her hand, she wiped some blood away from her eye. Despite these wounds, she felt nothing from them as she walked. But a searing pain lingered in her heart and she felt like she couldn't breath. She had trusted Gwendolyn, only to be betrayed. Though she had believed everything that Gwendolyn told her, she knew now that Gwendolyn was only preying on her weaknesses and desires to get Faith to trust her. Gwendolyn didn't believe that Faith could ever be anything more than a junkie's daughter from the shitty end of South Boston. In fact, Gwendolyn thought that was exactly what Faith was – hopeless. Faith could feel her dreams dying one by one with every step that she took. But she didn't care anymore. She felt nothing.


	26. Rock Bottom

The Quickening

Previously:

Faith had trusted Gwendolyn, only to be betrayed. Though she had believed everything that Gwendolyn told her, she knew now that Gwendolyn was only preying on her weaknesses and desires to get Faith to trust her. Gwendolyn didn't believe that Faith could ever be anything more than a junkie's daughter from the shitty end of South Boston. In fact, Gwendolyn thought that was exactly what Faith was – hopeless. Faith could feel her dreams dying one by one with every step that she took. But she didn't care anymore. She felt nothing.

Chapter Twenty-Five:

A roar of thunder boomed overhead and a torrent of rain suddenly fell from the sky. Faith looked up into the swell of raindrops falling down on her. "That's all I need," she muttered to herself as she aimlessly walked the streets of Sunnydale. Midnight had long since passed and she had yet to return home. She knew Giles was probably worried about her. After all, Buffy had kicked her ass that night. Faith thought back to the fight with disgust. She was better than that. She should have been able to take Buffy without even trying. Perhaps Gwendolyn was right when she said that Faith wasn't fit to be called a slayer.

Anger flared up in Faith's heart and she repressed the urge to hit something. She was far too tired and sore to go to the cemetery to take her aggressions out on the undead. Any vampire she encountered would be more likely to take her out in her current condition than she would them. Faith looked down at her side, slowly lifting up her shirt. The skin was broken and it looked as if one of her ribs was poking through. Faith shuddered. She thought about going to the hospital, but she knew that they would ask too many questions that she couldn't answer. Giles would be more than willing to patch her up, unless he was angry that she had chosen the traitorous Gwendolyn Post over Buffy and the rest of the gang. Faith wanted more than anything to go home, curl up in her bed, and forget that any of the events of the night had ever happened, but she was too afraid and too proud to let anyone see what Buffy had been capable of doing to her.

Faith turned onto Main Street and walked as quickly as she could, despite the now throbbing pain in her side, to an abandoned building just a few yards ahead of her. It had been a consignment shop at one time, but went out of business as most stores in Sunnydale eventually did. Residents came and went far more quickly than in other towns, mostly because of the demons that preyed on helpless residents, and stores were constantly changing to fit the tastes of the shifting population. The rain was starting to pour down harder as Faith kicked in the back door of the building. It was dark inside, but her eyes quickly adjusted.

The store was empty, save for some things left behind by the previous owners. Making her way over the front corner of the store, Faith gingerly lowered herself to the ground. She leaned back against the wall and closed her eyes. It felt like every part of her body was on fire, screaming out in pain. She could feel her eyes start to fill with tears. A strangled sob tore out of her throat and she buried her face in her hands, allowing herself a few moments of weakness. Finally, her sobs died down and she drifted into an uneasy and restless sleep.

……………………………

When Xander noticed that Faith had disappeared from the mansion after her fight with Buffy, he got worried. He had hoped that she left to go to the hospital for medical treatment, but when he checked the hospital only to find that she hadn't been there, he got anxious. Paying a quick visit to Giles, he explained what had happened. Giles looked more worried about Faith than angry about anything, which relieved Xander. The ailing Watcher had also instructed Xander to take his car and drive around town to try to find the injured slayer. By the time eleven o'clock had rolled around, Xander had started to freak out. He had driven everywhere he thought Faith might go, but he hadn't been able to find her.

Now, as he slowly drove down Main Street, it was nearly one o'clock in the morning and Xander was panicking. He knew from the way the fight had ended that Faith was in bad shape, emotionally and physically. His chest tightened when he thought back to the look of devastation that had been on Faith's face when Gwendolyn revealed her true intentions. He could only imagine how Faith must have felt – placing her trust in someone only to have that person betray her. The same thing had been happening to her over and over again her entire life. Xander didn't know how many more times she could handle having her trust shattered and thrown back in her face before she decided never to trust anyone again.

Pulling over to the side of the road, he slammed his hand down on the steering wheel. "Damn!" He yelled, frustrated and worried. The rain pounding down on his windshield was making it hard for him to see anything beyond the road in front of him. He realized that he was never going to find her by simply driving around. Getting out of the car, Xander zipped up his jacket to block out the rain. Then he began walking.

"Faith!" He called, hoping to attract her attention if she was near. "Where the hell are you?" He added, lashing his foot out and kicking over a trashcan. The abandoned consignment shop, where he used to buy some of his more colorful shirts, stood directly in front of him. The alley next to it had an overhang and Xander, desiring to shield himself from the rain while he thought of a better plan, ran over to the building and stood underneath its protection.

Shoving his hands in his pockets, he looked around, and noticed that the alley had a trail of blood leading down it. His interest piqued, Xander followed the trail to the back of the old consignment shop, where he saw that the rear entrance had been busted in. Hope conquered his despair as he slowly walked into the abandoned store. He knew that it could have just been vandals who busted down the door, or even a vampire trying to get out of the rain, but he hoped that it was Faith instead.

"Faith?" He called out, walking further into the store. Finally, he reached the front of the building and noticed a figure slumped over in the corner. He knew instantly that it was Faith, not because he could see her, as the dark prevented him from seeing much of anything, but because he could feel that it was her.

"Hey," he said, rushing over to her and kneeling down beside her. "Wake up," he whispered, brushing a strand of hair away from the cut just above her eye. Faith stirred and slowly opened her eyes. She bolted upright, thinking that Xander was a vampire. "Relax…. relax," Xander said, throwing his hands up in a defensive motion. "It's just me."

"Xander?" Faith asked groggily, her mind still half asleep and sluggish from the pain that pervaded her senses upon her sudden waking. "What're you doing here?"

"I've been looking for you all night," Xander said, sitting down next to her. "You should be at the hospital."

"How would I explain my injuries, Xander? I guess I could always just tell the doctors that one of my supposed friends decided to beat the shit out of me," Faith shot back bitterly.

"She beat the shit out of me too, if you recall," Xander said, referring to the punch he took to the face for trying to stop Buffy from attacking Faith. Faith smiled a little.

"Yeah, I remember," she said, leaning back against the wall and looking down at her hands.

"I still can't believe that she threw a brick at you," Xander said, shaking his head. "That was kinda rough."

"Didn't feel so good either," Faith replied. "Did she destroy the Glove?"

"Yeah, burned it up in the Living Flame or whatever the hell it was called," Xander responded.

"Good. At least someone knows how to be a slayer," Faith muttered, more to herself than Xander. Xander looked over at her.

"Gwendolyn Post was a psychotic bitch who betrayed everything good in this world for black magic and power," Xander said forcefully. "She had no idea what she was talking about."

"Really? I should have known that she was evil the first second I laid eyes on her," Faith shot back.

"Buffy didn't," Xander replied.

"Buffy didn't spend as much time with her as I did. She knew exactly what to say to me, exactly what to do. She played me, Xander, and I was stupid enough to fall for it," Faith responded dejectedly.

"Everything's okay," Xander said, moving closer to her and wrapping his arm around her shoulders. He could feel her muscles tense for a fraction of a second before she relaxed and leaned closer to him. "Buffy isn't angry with you and neither is Giles."

"How do you know that?" Faith asked doubtfully.

"I went to see Giles a couple of hours ago in the hospital," Xander replied.

"Why is he in the hospital?" Faith asked, looking over at him with concern evident in her eyes.

"Gwendolyn hit him in the back of the head with something large and heavy," Xander answered. "But he's fine. Should be released in the morning. Anyway, the point is, he wanted me to come look for you. He was worried about you."

"He probably just wants you to check up on me, make sure I'm not gonna fly off the deep end and attack his precious slayer again," Faith responded, despite the fact that she desperately wanted to believe that Giles really was concerned about her.

"You know that's not true," Xander replied wearily. "You're just as much his slayer as Buffy is."

"You can say that all you want, but it's not true. _She_ is his slayer; I'll always be the other slayer. The backup. Maybe I shouldn't even be that," Faith mumbled.

"Things are never going to be right with you and Buffy. There's always going to be some tension, some competition. But you have to get used to that. So there's two slayers instead of one. Big deal. Stop thinking about it like it was some kind of mistake and think instead that maybe this is fate's way of evening the score. Maybe there's supposed to be two slayers now because of some great evil that's going to rise, or because the world just needs more protection than it did," Xander said softly. "The more you degrade who you are, the more you'll start to believe that you're nothing."

"I am nothing, Xander," Faith said sadly.

"No, you're not," Xander replied. "You're everything…. to me at least."

Faith sighed and closed her eyes, gently rubbing her forehead with her fingertips. Her anger and sadness had been replaced by a deep weariness that seemed to penetrate her bones. "Take me to the hospital, yeah?" Faith asked, looking over at him.

"Yeah," Xander replied, smiling crookedly. Lifting himself to his feet, he helped Faith up, and together they walked out of the store, and back to Giles's car.


	27. Abyss

The Quickening

Previously:

"No, you're not," Xander replied. "You're everything…. to me at least."

Faith sighed and closed her eyes, gently rubbing her forehead with her fingertips. Her anger and sadness had been replaced by a deep weariness that seemed to penetrate her bones. "Take me to the hospital, yeah?" Faith asked, looking over at him.

Chapter Twenty-Six:

Faith left the hospital with Xander shortly before dawn. A red glow filled the sky as he drove her home in Giles's car. Faith stared out of the passenger's window, her eyes blinded by the sun as it began to rise up over the buildings and houses that composed Sunnydale. For a moment, all she could see was white, until she blinked and looked away, shifting her eyes from the brightness to the road that lay ahead of them. As she had anticipated, the doctors made her speak with the police after they bandaged her wounds. The officers accepted her story about an unknown assailant who attacked her as she was out walking. Faith imaged that the police often received that story, from people who had been attacked by a demon, but did not know that such a thing even existed.

The doctors gave her a list of instructions to follow for changing her dressings on the wound above her eye and a detailed explanation of how she shouldn't engage in any strenuous activities while her ribs were healing. However, she knew what her body could handle and she knew, as a slayer, that it wouldn't be long before she could fight the good fight again. Faith shuddered to think what patrolling with Buffy would be like now. Although, she imagined that Buffy would try to ignore, or forget, the fact that they could have killed each other at Angel's mansion. Neither of them was holding back when they fought and it was only a matter of luck that one of them hadn't been more seriously injured. As it was, Faith had suffered several broken ribs, though Buffy had walked away without a scratch.

"You want me to stay with you?" Xander asked, taking his eyes off the road as he stopped for a traffic signal.

"Why? So you can baby sit me, make sure I don't break any of the doctor's rules?" Faith replied jokingly.

"Something like that," Xander replied. The light changed to green and the car sped forward again. "But really, I just don't want to go home."

Faith looked over at him. Something in that way he had said the words reminded her a great deal of herself. She remembered staying out as long as she could at night so that she wouldn't have to spend any more time than necessary in her mother's apartment. If anyone had asked her why, she would have said the same thing as Xander. "Why not?" She asked softly, though she imagined that she already knew the answer to her question. Xander shrugged a little, his eyes practically glued to the road ahead. "It's okay, you know," Faith said, looking down at her hands. "You can tell me. I'm pretty sure it isn't something I haven't already heard."

Xander sighed and glanced over at her. He didn't like to talk about his family or his home life. His friends knew that he had a rather strained relationship with his parents. Willow even knew that his father had laid a hand on him once in a while. Buffy, on the other hand, didn't know anything about his family. He liked to keep it that way. He didn't want to become a burden to his friends and he certainly didn't want their pity. However, he knew that Faith wouldn't pity him if he told her about his home and he knew that she wouldn't think less of him for it. The others would have simply because they didn't know what it was like to come from a place of anger and despair. Faith, on the other hand, knew what that place was like.

"My dad's an ass," Xander said, softly. Faith nodded, knowing that she couldn't pressure him into telling her anything that he was not ready to tell. "He gets drunk a lot, beats on my mom. He's smacked me a round a couple of times. I go home and it feels like this empty place. There's nothing there for me. When I see my dad, I get this fear that I'll turn out like him. It's crazy, I know. I would never want to hurt anyone that I love and I don't understand how he can. But I can see myself in him sometimes."

"You're wrong," Faith replied. "There's nothing but good in you, Xan."

Xander smiled. "You think so?"

"Yeah, I do," Faith responded. "I want you to stay."

"Do you want me to stay because of what I just told you, or because you really want me to?" Xander asked, looking over at her.

She looked him straight in the eyes when she responded, knowing that he needed to see that she was telling the truth. "I want you to stay because I want you there."

"Okay," Xander said, nodding in satisfaction and looking back at the road. "I'm glad. You know, you can talk to me about stuff too, if you ever want to."

"I know," Faith replied. "And I want to…I'm just not ready yet. I've never had anyone I could talk to before. It just takes some getting used to."

Xander pulled into a parking space just outside of Giles's apartment. "I'm here whenever you're ready," he said as they both got out of the car. Faith fished her keys out of her pocket as they walked to the apartment. She opened the door and stepped inside, Xander following closely behind her. Darkness greeted her eyes and she flipped on the lights in the living room as she led Xander back to her bedroom. They were both exhausted, emotionally and physically. It had been a strenuous night and Faith wanted nothing more than to go to sleep.

She closed her bedroom door after Xander entered, watching as he slipped off his jacket and shoes and flopped down on her bed. For a moment, she imagined what life would be like with Xander. She could see herself coming home to him every night and it did not frighten her like she thought it would. "You coming?" Xander asked groggily.

"Yeah," Faith said, moving over to the bed and lying next to him. He rolled over so he was facing her and draped his arm around her waist. Instinctively, she nestled against his chest with her head resting just under his chin. She could feel his heart beating, his breath becoming slower as he fell asleep. Closing her eyes, she inhaled deeply, relishing his distinctive scent. She felt like she being cradled in the warm center of the universe. Just outside of the walls that separated her from the night, demons were prowling, killing innocent people, and wreaking havoc on all that was good and righteous. But lying in bed with Xander, with his arms wrapped around her, nothing else mattered. She felt safe.

Faith drifted off to sleep, content. But her peaceful sleep was soon interrupted by nightmares that plagued her mind. She dreamed that she was standing on a balcony of an apartment in the swankier part of Sunnydale, if such a place even existed. The wind whipped her hair in front of her face and she was standing on the ledge of the balcony. The moon was round, bloated, and the stars poked out of the sky like holes in a piece of cloth. Turning, she looked over her shoulder. Glass littered the floor of the balcony, from a now broken sliding glass door that stood just a few feet away. She could see a figure approaching her, but its face was blurry. She thought for a second that she recognized the person, but she couldn't place a name to the face. She could, however, distinctly see the knife that the person held. It flashed in the moonlight, the blade twinkling deadly and cold. The knife she recognized as well and it stirred some feeling of desire in her chest. She wanted it back but she did not know why.

"Who are you?" Faith asked, watching as the figure drew nearer. She stepped back, closer to the edge of the balcony.

A distorted voice answered that sounded like a mix of her own and something lighter, something familiar. "Can't you see me?" The figure asked. "Can't you recognize me? You see me everyday."

"I don't know you," Faith replied, taking another step back.

"I stare back at you when you look at yourself in the mirror," the figure replied. "I'm in everything you see. Every time you close your eyes, I'm the face that lingers in your memory."

"What you are you talking about?" Faith asked. The figure stopped walking and raised the knife a little.

"The same darkness that you see in me is in you, Faith," the figure said.

"I don't know what you mean," Faith replied forcefully, shaking her head.

"Yes, you do. Everyone thinks that you fight the forces of darkness out of a desire to do good," the figure said, tilting its head and looking down at the knife with lust in its eyes.

"That _is_ why I fight," Faith replied.

"You even have yourself convinced of your little lie. How pathetic," the figure retorted, stepping closer. "I know why you really fight, Faith. I know who you're really fighting against."

"Shut up," Faith said menacingly, stepping closer to the figure instead of away from it.

"Are you afraid to hear what I have to say? Afraid that I'll be right?" The figure asked mockingly.

"I don't care what you have to say," Faith replied. "Leave me alone."

"You'll only end up hurting all of the people you love, Faith. It's the only thing you're good at. You think you can be like the rest of them, but you can't. You'll always have something inside of you that's different from everyone else," the figure said, stopping again.

"What's that?" Faith asked.

"The darkness. You don't fight against evil, Faith. You fight against yourself," the figure replied. "You fight against the evil that is in your heart."

"You're full of shit," Faith replied, turning away. She looked down over the edge of the balcony, but instead of seeing the road, all she saw was darkness.

"The thing is, Faith, you can't win," the figure said, stepping up onto the ledge beside her.

"What's down there?" Faith asked. The figure followed her eyes down into the abyss and smiled.

"Why don't you find out?" It asked. Faith stepped off the ledge, back on the solid ground of the balcony.

"No," she replied, shaking her head. "I can't."

"Not yet," the figure replied. "But soon you'll be ready. Soon you'll want to."


	28. Deviations

The Quickening

Notes: Sorry for the delay, had a busy weekend.

Previously:

"What's down there?" Faith asked. The figure followed her eyes down into the abyss and smiled.

"Why don't you find out?" It asked. Faith stepped off the ledge, back on the solid ground of the balcony.

"No," she replied, shaking her head. "I can't."

"Not yet," the figure replied. "But soon you'll be ready. Soon you'll want to."

Chapter Twenty-Seven:

Faith stood on the front patio of the apartment she shared with Giles. Sunset had just passed and the skyline was still lit up with lingering reds and oranges that made the trees look like they were on fire. Looking up into the sky, Faith could see the moon steadily rising. A few stars twinkled in the rapidly approaching night. Inside, Giles was pouring over a book. Faith could see him in her mind's eye, with his glasses balanced on his nose, his eyes squinting as he sat deep in thought, pondering over the words written before him.

Lighting up a cigarette, Faith inhaled deeply, relishing the taste of the smoke as it curled down her throat. Exhaling, the smoke shot back out of her nose, disappearing into the air. Giles did not approve of her smoking habit, but she was not about to start compromising herself for anyone. She had lived her life on her own terms for too long to start obeying someone else's rules. She liked living with Giles, and she tried to adhere to the conditions of his house as best she could, but she was not about to give up everything. The night gradually grew colder and Faith began to feel uncomfortable standing outside. Dropping the cigarette, she rubbed the tiny flame out with the heel of her boot. Opening the front door, she stepped into the warm apartment. Giles was sitting on his easy chair, just as she imagined. "How's your head?" Faith asked, walking around and sitting on the sofa. Giles lowered his book into his lap and gently closed it.

"I feel fine," he replied. "Though I do have a rather large bump."

"Sorry," Faith said, looking down at her hands. She felt bad about what Gwendolyn did to Giles. She thought that somehow she should have been able to see what Gwendolyn had planned. She should have been able to sense the evil in her. Instead, Gwendolyn managed to wreak havoc on her life and she had been powerless to stop it.

"It's not your fault," Giles said. "I heard about what happened at the mansion."

"Oh," Faith responded. She could feel her heart tighten in her chest.

"Considering the circumstances," Giles said, looking at her and smiling softly, "I think you acted rightly. Gwendolyn was your Watcher, for all intents and purposes. According to the Council, a slayer should always follow the direction of her Watcher. You only did as you were supposed to do."

"I still should have known," Faith said.

"I've seen many things in my life," Giles replied. "I've seen great evil and I've seen great good. But what I've found to be true in all cases is that you can never really know which is which until the moment it reveals itself either way. Seemingly evil people can have great hearts, while seemingly great people can have evil hearts. You can never really know a person, not completely."

"Did you tell the Council about her?" Faith asked.

"Yes, I did," Giles replied. "They're sending out a replacement Watcher for your old Watcher."

"I don't want another Watcher," Faith said insistently. "I've had enough of that shit."

"I understand that. In fact, I told them as much…only a bit more politely. However, they don't particularly care about your wishes," Giles replied bitterly.

"So what are we gonna do then?" Faith asked in frustration.

"I have a proposition for you," Giles responded, leaning forward, resting his elbows on his knees, and folding his hands.

"What's that?" Faith asked, not entirely sure if she was going to like his plan.

"The Council will send a new Watcher for you no matter what we do. Because you don't have a legal guardian, the Council could potentially take over the role as your legal guardian, which would mean that they would have complete legal control over you until you turn eighteen. In which case, they could move you without your consent. However, if you have a legal guardian before they take that step, than they cannot exercise any legal control over you at all," Giles explained.

"But like you said, I don't have a legal guardian," Faith replied.

"I know. What I'm proposing is that, if you would like, I could become your legal guardian," Giles answered. "That way, the Council could not exercise any more control over you than you're willing to let them have."

"Seriously?" Faith asked, looking up at him in surprise. "You'd do that?"

"Of course," Giles answered, smiling a little. "The Council can be ruthless. They like a slayer who will bend to their will, who will give in to their every demand. You're not that slayer. I have a feeling they could make your life very difficult if they chose to. However, I want to try to prevent that as much as possible."

"I don't know what to say," Faith replied.

"I'll give you some time to think about it," Giles said, rising to his feet. "I'm supposed to meet Buffy for patrol tonight. I don't need an answer now, just whenever you're ready."

"Yeah," Faith said, watching as Giles grabbed his coat and left the apartment. Faith leaned back against the sofa. She knew that Giles was suggesting more than he said. While becoming her legal guardian would prevent the Council from taking control of her life, it would also put Giles in control of her life – legally speaking at least. Giles would be responsible for taking care of her, for making sure that she had everything she needed. Those people given that responsibility in her past had done everything they could to give it back. Her father, once he went to jail, did not even bother to try to contact her.

As it was, she could only barely remember her father's face. Everyday that passed, the image of him faded slowly from her mind. He was like a ghost flitting through her memory. She did not even know if he was still alive. He could have died in prison and she never would have known. Her mother had not been any better. Now, Giles wanted to try to step into the role that her parents had practically run from the moment they were given it. While Faith thought he was up to the challenge, she did not think that she was capable of handling another disappointment.

…………………….

Xander scraped the remains of his microwave dinner into the trashcan. Christmas was coming up. The rest of the houses in the neighborhood had Christmas lights strung up on the roofs and in the trees. His house, however, was a dark hole in the night. His father was still at work and his mother was sitting in front of the television, probably fantasizing about what having a television life would be like. It made Xander sick. He did not understand why his mother had not taken him and left his father when he was younger. Instead, his mother stayed by his father's side for years of abuse and mistreatment. As a result, Xander had been forced to stay as well.

Xander looked up when he heard the front door open. He could hear his father's heavy work boots clunking on the foyer floor. "Where's that damn boy? He home yet?" His father yelled.

"I'm in the kitchen," Xander yelled back, setting his plate down in the kitchen sink. His father walked into the kitchen, slipping his jacket off his shoulders and throwing it on a kitchen chair.

"Where the hell were you last night? You didn't come home," his father said. Xander could smell beer on his breath from across the room.

"I was out," Xander replied.

"You know my rules, boy," his father responded, rolling up his sleeves.

"Yes, I do," Xander answered. "I just chose not to follow them this time."

"Excuse me," his father said, stepping closer. "What did you just say?"

"I think you heard me," Xander replied. Before he even knew what had happened, Xander was lying on the ground looking up at his father, who was standing over him. A sudden pain shot through his face and Xander reached up, gingerly touching a cut under his left eye. He could see his blood dripping off the ring his father wore on his hand.

"You live here, you follow my rules. If you don't like it, than get the hell out," his father yelled. "I personally don't give a shit what you do." Xander watched as his father walked over to the fridge and pulled open the door. He grabbed a beer and slammed the fridge door closed before stalking out of the kitchen. Xander slowly pulled himself to his feet and slipped out of the kitchen, into his bedroom. Gently closing the door behind him, he walked over to his bedroom mirror.

"Shit," he muttered, looking at his reflection. Grabbing a tissue, he wiped away the blood that was running down his cheek. Lowering his hand, he looked at himself in the mirror, as if he was seeing himself for the first time. His mother had never left his father and he would never understand why, but that did not mean that he had to stay. Turning, he grabbed his book bag and began to shove clothes into it.

Once he had packed what he could carry, he quietly opened his bedroom window and slipped out. His feet touched the ground and he took off running as fast as he could. He felt as if a great burden had been lifted from his heart, though he knew his decision would have more consequences than he could imagine. However, before he began to worry about what he was going to do to support himself, he had to find a place to spend the night, and he knew exactly where to go.


	29. Messages

The Quickening

Previously:

Xander felt as if a great burden had been lifted from his heart, though he knew his decision would have more consequences than he could imagine. However, before he began to worry about what he was going to do to support himself, he had to find a place to spend the night, and he knew exactly where to go.

Chapter Twenty-Eight:

Xander shifted his bag on his shoulders and lightly knocked on Giles's front door. It was nearing midnight and he did not want to wake the Watcher. However, he knew that Faith was a light sleeper and that she would hear him. A few seconds passed and he could see the living room lights suddenly pop on. The front door swung open to reveal Faith standing in the foyer, her hair slightly tussled from sleep. Xander unconsciously let his eyes roam over her body. She was clad in a tight tank top and a pair of rather short shorts that revealed her toned, tanned legs.

"Hey," Faith said, her voice raspy from sleep. "What are you doing here?" She watched as he stepped closer. His face, hidden in the shadows, was revealed and she drew in a sharp breath. "What happened?"

"My dad got a little riled up," Xander replied. Faith stepped closer and reached up, gently tracing the wound under his eye with her fingertips. Xander leaned into her touch, relishing the feel of her fingertips against his skin. He could feel her breath against his face and all he wanted to do in that moment was kiss her.

"You have a bag," Faith pointed out. "Did you leave?"

"Yeah," Xander replied, his voice low and gravely from the desire coursing through his body. "I just need a place to crash tonight."

"What're you gonna do after that?" Faith asked, leaning closer. She could see his pupils dilating as she flicked her tongue out over her lips, wetting them.

"Thought I'd get an apartment. Find a job. I don't know. I'm just figuring things out as I go along," Xander replied.

"And you want to stay here for the night?" Faith asked, her hand dropping down to his neck. She could feel Xander pulling her closer. His hands were resting on her hips and where his fingers touched, she felt as if bolts of electricity were shooting through her body. She had been close with many people, but she had never felt anything as intense as when she was with Xander.

"I was hoping," Xander replied as his eyes locked with Faith's. Their lips were only inches apart. Faith could hear her heart beating in her chest, the pace quickening with every second that passed.

"What were you hoping?" Faith asked, resting her other hand on his chest. She could feel his heart beating wildly under his shirt. She smiled a little.

"I really want to kiss you right now," Xander replied huskily. Faith involuntarily shivered as she gazed into his eyes. She could plainly see desire in them, but there was something else there, something more than concern, something more than care. For a second she forgot to breath as she looked into his eyes and saw love staring back at her.

"What're you waiting for then?" Faith asked breathlessly as Xander's lips crashed into hers. She moaned deeply as his tongue slipped through her parted lips. Then she was moving backwards. Her back connected with the doorframe and she realized that sometime in the seconds before their lips met, she had given up control to Xander. She had never given up control to anyone before, but she found as Xander began to massage her tongue with his, while slipping his hand under her shirt to touch the skin of her stomach, that she didn't particularly miss being in control.

In the back of her mind, she could hear something vaguely resembling a cough coming from behind Xander. Breaking the kiss, she looked over Xander's shoulder to see Giles standing a few feet behind them, looking rather bemused. "Someone's standing behind us, huh?" Xander asked, his cheeks starting to redden from embarrassment.

"That would be Giles," Faith replied. Xander moved away and Faith distinctly missed the warmth of his body pressed against hers.

"Xander," Giles said, trying to restrain his laughter to keep from causing further embarrassment to the two teenagers.

"Hey, Giles," Xander replied. "How's it going?"

"Isn't it about time you were heading home?" Giles asked, noting that it had passed midnight.

"Well, that's kinda why he's here," Faith interjected.

"Oh?" Giles asked, noticing, as Xander moved into the light, the cut below his eye.

"Xander needs to stay here tonight," Faith replied. "I think you can see why."

"Your father did this to you?" Giles asked, watching as Xander looked down at the ground.

"Yeah," Xander replied softly. "I only need to stay here one night. I'll find a place tomorrow."

"Don't be ridiculous," Giles responded. "Stay here as long as you need to."

"Thanks," Xander replied gratefully.

"Of course," Giles replied. "It's getting late, you both should go inside."

"What about you?" Faith asked.

"I just came back to check on you," Giles lied. "I have one more stop to make before I can call it a night."

"Oh, okay," Faith answered, knowing that Giles was not telling her the truth. However, as she looked at him, she could see a bit of the Ripper coming through his eyes and she distinctly knew where he was going. "Be careful."

"I will," Giles replied, smiling softly. He watched as the two teenagers went back into the apartment. Then, he turned and walked back into the night.

………………………

It did not take long for Giles to find Xander's house. Walking up the sidewalk to the front door, he slowly began to roll up his shirtsleeves. He could see the lights on in the house, indicating that its occupants were still up at least. He stopped in front of the door and raised his hand, curling it into a fist, before knocking swiftly. The sound of footsteps rang through the house and Xander's father approached the door. It swung open a few seconds later.

"What do you want?" Xander's father asked, his speech slightly slurred from the alcohol he had spent the greater part of the night drinking. Giles repressed a disgusted shudder.

"You're Alexander Harris's father, yes?" Giles replied, watching the man intently.

"Yeah, where is that bastard? He took off tonight. And who the hell are you anyway?" Xander's father asked, his voice harsh and angry.

"I'm a friend of your son's," Giles said calmly. "And he wanted me to tell you something."

"Oh? What's that?"

Giles smiled a little before lashing his fist out. It met with the other man's nose and Giles heard the distinct crack of bones breaking. The man stumbled back, clutching his broken nose as blood began to pour from it. "Xander wanted me to tell you that he's not coming back," Giles answered. "And I wanted to tell you not to try to find him, though I doubt that you actually would. I also wanted to tell you that if you ever touch that boy again," Giles said, stepping forward menacingly, "I will kill you." The other man looked up at him with fear in his eyes and nodded quickly.

"You…you got it," he stuttered.

"Good," Giles replied. "In that case," he said, stepping back, "have a nice night." Turning, Giles stalked back down the sidewalk. Xander's father watched him leave and quickly shut the door. Giles shook his fist as he walked away, trying to ward off the pain that punching the other man had caused. "I think that went well," he muttered to himself and smiled.


	30. Home

The Quickening

Notes: Sorry for the delay, but my Internet connection has been out since yesterday.

Previously:

"Xander needs to stay here tonight," Faith replied. "I think you can see why."

"Your father did this to you?" Giles asked, watching as Xander looked down at the ground.

"Yeah," Xander replied softly. "I only need to stay here one night. I'll find a place tomorrow."

"Don't be ridiculous," Giles responded. "Stay here as long as you need to."

Chapter Twenty-Nine:

Giles stood as a black silhouette in the doorway to Faith's bedroom. The room was covered in shadows and, though he could not see Faith or Xander inside, he knew that they were there. The light shining at his back from the hallway revealed the shape of two figures lying in the bed, both facing each other, both perfectly content. Giles smiled a little. He was glad that Faith had found someone in Sunnydale with whom she could connect and share her trust. Giles had known from the moment he first saw Faith what kind of girl she was. Some people might have called her a whore, though she did not exactly fit the definition, but Giles mostly would have called her lost. She had been the type of person who needed physical intimacy in order to feel decent about herself.

By forming a momentary connection with a random person, by experience a moment of pleasure amidst a life of pain, Faith had been able to deal with the harsh reality of life. Though life in Sunnydale was not easy, Giles imagined it was far easier for her here than on the run from Kakistos, constantly worrying about trying to survive. Finally, Faith was free to explore other options in life. There were many things that Giles wished he could bring up with her, though he was not sure how she would take them. He believed in education, despite the system's problems. Though, historically, slayers did not live long enough to benefit from higher education, Giles believed that the tides of good and evil were shifting in the world – shifting in favor of all that was good.

For the first time in the history of the world, two slayers were existence, fighting together. That fact alone nearly doubled Faith's chance of survival. Having a Watcher as back up, Giles had to admit, did not particularly scream success. He knew how to fight well enough to ward off a couple of vampires, but he could not say with complete conviction that he would feel comfortable being Buffy's, or Faith's, only source to rely on. Though the Scooby Gang helped, three normal people were still not as effective as one slayer. However, with Buffy having Faith to rely on and vice versa, the chances of one of them being eliminated were very small.

Therefore, he contemplated on many occasions bringing up the topic of school with Faith. He understood her reasons for dropping out of high school. In her neighborhood, school was more of a baby sitting service, confining all of the hoodlums and thugs that lived there in one place for so many hours to allow the rest of the populace a chance to go about their business without fear, until they were released again. Even if Faith had done well in school and graduated, her educational career would have ended there, as her family lacked the financial means to continue her education. Now, however, Faith was living in a town with good kids, a town that promoted success instead of failure.

Giles wanted to see her succeed, but he knew that it would require a great deal of convincing on his part to persuade her to step foot in a school for anything other than training. He knew, however, that there were other options available to her. She could always try to obtain her GED, once she had become accustomed to life in Sunnydale and realized that while she may be struck down early by some fatal blow, she also might not be. Giles felt that in addition to preparing his slayers for their calling, he also had a duty to prepare them for life.

He could not justify denying Buffy or Faith that opportunity to have careers and families simply because of some ritualized practice rooted in centuries of Council dogma. While he fervently believed in the Council's mission to fight evil and prepare slayers for their task, he did not believe in the methods they used to achieve those ends. It seemed that as time ticked away, the Council became more and more corrupt, wallowing in its own rituals, traditions, and opulence, rather than trying to reform in order to engage a new, different world. It was no longer the fifteenth century and it was about time the Council realized that.

Unfortunately, he did not believe that they would. Instead, he decided to take it upon himself to train Buffy and Faith as he saw fit, Council be damned. Faith's attitude against authority seemed to wake something up in him that he had not felt since his days as a youth in England. While he no longer wanted chaos and anarchy to rule the world instead of institutions, he still wanted to rebel against the practices of certain institutions that he felt were entirely antiquated. He had been happy following Council orders for most of his life, secretly questioning their motives, and wondering if perhaps he should step up and do things his own way. He had not done so, partly out of fear that the Council would fire him, and partly because he did not believe that he had what it took inside of his heart to make a change. Now, however, as he watched Faith – a lonely, lost girl, who by all rights should have given up and allowed the world to beat her into its mold a long time ago – he felt inspired to come into his own.

He had gone to both extremes, rebelling against everything and meekly following orders. It was about time he started to find some middle ground. One of the figures lying in the bed rolled over and propped itself up. "Hey, you okay?" Faith asked groggily, her voice scratchy from sleep. Giles smiled.

"Yes, everything is fine. Go back to sleep," he replied.

"You sure?" Faith asked, dropping back down onto the bed and rolling over.

"I'm sure," Giles answered. He listened to her breathing even out until he knew she was asleep again. Often, when he had been alone in his apartment, he would miss England. He had many friends and family members there, people who he missed when the moon rose up over the horizon and the long hours of night began to tick by. Buffy had become like a daughter to him in the short time he had known her. The others had similarly found places for themselves in his heart. But he knew that if he had a choice, he could leave them and go back to England.

Then Faith showed up in Sunnydale. At first, she had seemed almost like a burden – to wild for her own good. But as he got to know her better, he began to see himself mirrored in her eyes. He realized that she was much more like him than any of the others. Buffy would always love him as Giles, but he was not sure if she could love him as the Ripper. He tried to shelter her from that side of his personality as best he could, mostly out of fear that she would reject him for it. He knew, however, that Faith cared for both sides of his personality equally. She did not judge him for the things he had done in his past because he knew that there were things in her past that she was ashamed of as well. He and Faith were connected in a way that he and Buffy could never be connected. As he stood in the doorway to her bedroom, Giles realized that he could never leave her. Though he had friends and family back in England, the only person that truly mattered to him beyond anything else was lying in that bed just a few feet away, in Sunnydale, California.

Turning, he quietly closed her bedroom door and walked out into the living room. He poured himself a cup of tea and moved over to the window. The night did not seem as dark anymore. The shadows no longer moved with unnamed evils waiting to strike at any moment. Instead, Giles looked up into the sky and saw the moon smiling back down at him, bright and plump. Sunnydale was changing before his very eyes. Instead of seeing the small town on a Hellmouth, full of mysteries and paranormal phenomenon, he was starting to see home.

…………………..

Faith and Xander had awoken the next morning to the smell of pancakes cooking in the kitchen. Faith could not remember the last time someone had made pancakes for her for breakfast. "Hey," Faith said, slipping onto one of the kitchen chairs. Xander followed suit.

"Good morning," Giles replied, sliding a plate of pancakes across the table to each of them.

"You have a paper around?" Xander asked, taking a sip from the cup of tea Giles sat in front of him.

"Yes, I thought you might want to look at the apartment listings," Giles replied, sliding the newspaper across to him. "If you wouldn't mind cleaning up, I have some errands to run this morning."

"Of course," Faith replied. Giles nodded and walked out of the kitchen, gathering his keys and coat. He called a goodbye to them as he left.

"Pancakes, huh? This an every morning type of thing?" Xander asked.

"Nah, I think he was just trying to impress you," Faith replied jokingly. "See anything?" She asked as Xander skimmed through the newspaper.

"Yeah, there are a couple of listings I could probably afford. I need to get a job though," Xander replied.

"Shouldn't be hard, seeing as how there's such a high turn over rate in this town, what with the high death rate and all," Faith responded. Xander chuckled.

"Way to be optimistic," Xander said.

"I try," Faith answered. "So, hey, I wanted to talk to you about something."

"What's up?" Xander asked, flipping the newspaper closed and giving her his complete attention.

"Giles talked to me about becoming my legal guardian the other day," Faith said, looking down at her plate. "I don't know if I should let him or not."

"Why not?" Xander asked, surprised. Faith shrugged.

"I haven't had very good parental experiences," Faith replied. "I just don't know how many more disappointments I can handle."

"Well, I can tell you one thing," Xander answered, "Giles isn't the kind of guy who disappoints. You can trust him, probably more than anyone else."

"So you think I should do it then? Let him become my legal guardian," Faith said, looking up at him.

"Absolutely," Xander replied. "But don't just listen to me. You have to make the choice." Faith nodded. She had a choice to make and she was not entirely sure how to make it.


	31. Amends Part 1

The Quickening

Notes: Again, busy weekend. Thanks for all of the reviews.

Previously:

"So you think I should do it then? Let him become my legal guardian," Faith said, looking up at Xander.

"Absolutely," Xander replied. "But don't just listen to me. You have to make the choice." Faith nodded. She had a choice to make and she was not entirely sure how to make it.

Chapter Thirty:

"Remember, you don't have to do this if you don't want to," Giles said, watching as Faith stared at the adoption papers sitting in front of her. She had approached him earlier in the week, agreeing that having him become her legal guardian would be for the best. However, Giles was not entirely sure if she was really ready for such a step.

"I know," Faith replied. "So, is my last name gonna be Giles now?" Faith asked.

Giles smiled. "If you want," he replied. "Or you can retain your original last name…. what is it, by the way? I don't think you've ever said."

Faith smirked. "Doesn't matter now," she said, picking up the pen in front of her and signing the papers.

"So Faith Giles it is?" Giles asked, taking the papers as Faith slid them across the kitchen table to him. He picked up the pen and signed them as well.

"Yeah," Faith replied. "It's got a ring to it."

"I agree," Giles replied. "I suppose you know this already, but Christmas is rapidly approaching."

Faith looked up and nodded slightly. "Yeah, I guess it is," she replied. Christmas had never been a happy event for her family. When she would watch television, she would see families exchanging presents and decorating their houses. Everything seemed so perfect at Christmas. Even in shows where there was always drama and intrigue, the Christmas episodes brought everyone together. Real life had never been that way for her. Christmas was just another excuse for her mother to buy a case of beer and get wasted. It was another excuse for her to get beaten for wanting something more than her mother could afford. Christmas only meant yelling and fighting to Faith. Though most people eagerly watched the calendar for the approaching holiday, Faith liked to pretend that it didn't exist.

"I thought that we could do something special, to celebrate your first Christmas in Sunnydale," Giles said, watching Faith's reaction closely. He had seen the way she had casually brushed off his reference to Christmas and he had a vague idea as to why.

"Sure," Faith responded, flashing Giles a fake smile to hide her growing apprehension. She knew that things in Sunnydale were different – better than they had been in Boston. However, she was still waiting for the bottom to drop out. It seemed as if everything was starting to change for the better in her life, but she knew better than to trust a hope. It would only deceive her in the end. She was lucky enough that the incident with Gwendolyn Post hadn't ruined things for her. She didn't want to take any more chances with fate.

"Good. Perhaps you could invite Xander to come over on Christmas Eve," Giles answered.

"Yeah, I don't think he really has anywhere to go," Faith replied. "What with moving out and all."

"How is his apartment search going?" Giles asked.

"He's looking at a place today he likes well enough," Faith replied.

"I'm glad," Giles said. "I think living on his own will be good for him."

Faith nodded and glanced up at the clock in the kitchen. "I gotta motor," she said, standing. "I'm meeting Buffy for patrol tonight."

"Right," Giles replied, rising to his feet as well. "Be careful."

Faith grinned and looked back at him. "I wouldn't worry about me, G-man. I'd be worried more about them."

…………………………..

Faith walked down Sunnydale's main drag. The street was empty, as all of the stores were closed. It was nearing midnight and Faith seemed to be the only living person walking around. She could hear the pop of the street lights above her as she walked, the slight buzzing of bugs flying around the glass that protected the bulb from the night air and any would be vandals. Faith was about to turn around and head back home when she heard someone shouting in the distance. Picking up her pace, she sprinted toward the noise.

The sounds grew louder as she neared an alley between two stores. Slowing, she crept up to the entrance of the alley and waited. She could only hear one voice. "Daniel!" She heard the voice yell. It was a male voice and it sounded distinctly familiar, though she couldn't quite place it. "What are you doing here? You're supposed to be dead."

Faith slowly drew her stake and began to advance into the alley. She could only see one person, standing by the back wall. "Hey!" Faith called down the alley. "Are you okay?" As she neared the person, her slayer senses began to tingle, alerting her that she was approaching a vampire. The figure turned and stepped closer to her.

"Faith?" Angel asked, peering at her out of the shadows of the alley.

"Angel," Faith replied, disappointed. She had been hoping to get some action. Her patrol had been nearly a bust. She had only dusted one vampire – a newbie crawling out of his grave.

"What are you doing out here?" Angel asked, shoving his hands in his duster.

"I'm on patrol, you know, trying to dust people like you," Faith replied. "But I could ask you the same question. Who the hell were you talking to?"

"I don't know what you mean," Angel replied, trying to dismiss her casually.

"Don't play that shit with me, dead boy. I heard you talking to someone. But there's no one here. So either he or she darted off into the night before I got here or you're starting to go nuts," Faith replied heatedly.

"You can't see him?" Angel asked, surprised. Faith looked at him closely. The vampire seemed unusually agitated. Instead of looking her in the eyes when he spoke to her, he kept looking over her shoulder, as if there was something behind her. Turning, Faith saw nothing but the empty alley.

"No, I don't see him," Faith replied slowly. "Is he here now?"

"Yeah," Angel answered. "He's standing just behind you."

"Who is he?" Faith asked, getting more freaked out by Angel's behavior every second.

"Daniel," Angel replied. "A person I used to know."

"Used to know?" Faith asked, stepping closer to Angel and away from the imaginary person behind her.

"He's dead," Angel answered. "He shouldn't be here."

"He's not here," Faith responded. "If he was, I would know."

"But I can see him," Angel protested.

"Yeah, and I think you've got a screw loose, dead boy," Faith replied.

Angel looked down at her soberly. "Faith…I don't want to ask you this, as I already know how you feel about me, but I need your help."

Faith looked up at him, a sarcastic reply dying on her lips. She knew something weird was going on and she would kick herself later if she turned down her one opportunity to find out what it was. "Fine," Faith replied curtly. "But we're going to see Giles."

"Fair enough," Angel answered, following Faith as she led him out of the alley. He looked down at the ground to avoid having to meet eyes with Daniel, who was watching him walk away sadly.

"Does Buffy know about all this?" Faith asked, as they walked.

"No," Angel replied quickly. "And I'd rather she didn't."

"Oh," Faith replied, raising an eyebrow. "Why's that?"

"She's got enough to worry about, without me starting to see things," Angel answered.

"But you think it's more than that, otherwise, you wouldn't have asked for help," Faith shot back.

"Yeah, I think it's more than that. But if it turns out that I can handle it by myself, I'd rather not get her involved. Like I said, she's got enough going on," Angel replied.

"What do you think it is?" Faith asked, looking over at him. She could tell from Angel's silence that whatever he had in mind wasn't going to be pleasant.

"I don't know exactly. But I've been reliving things from the past. Not just in dreams anymore, but when I'm awake as well. Only something powerful could enable me to do that. I need to know why I came back," Angel said softly.

"Why you came back from Hell?" Faith asked.

"Yeah," Angel clarified. "I need to know why I came back from Hell. And I think we all need to know soon."


	32. The Story of My Life

The Quickening

Previously:

Angel looked down at her soberly. "Faith…I don't want to ask you this, as I already know how you feel about me, but I need your help."

Faith looked up at him, a sarcastic reply dying on her lips. She knew something weird was going on and she would kick herself later if she turned down her one opportunity to find out what it was. "Fine," Faith replied curtly. "But we're going to see Giles."

Chapter Thirty-One:

Faith and Angel sat on Giles's couch while the perturbed Watcher was making tea in the kitchen. Giles had been less than happy when Faith brought Angel home. He nearly laughed out loud when Angel asked for help. Faith understood his reluctance to help the souled vampire. Before Giles would even invite Angel in, he made sure he had a crossbow in hand. Though Faith wanted to help Angel, she was not about to forget that Angel was still a vampire – a vampire who had killed and hurt a great deal of people, including everyone Faith cared about.

"I guess they call this awkward silence, huh?" Angel commented dryly, glancing around the Watcher's apartment. Faith looked up, startled. She had almost forgotten that Angel was even sitting next to her; she was so deep in thought.

"What, they didn't have that two hundred years ago?" Faith asked sarcastically.

"No, they did," Angel replied. "Basically every moment of silence I ever had with my father was awkward." Faith looked over at Angel, curiosity shining in her eyes.

"You didn't get along with your father?" Faith asked. Angel smiled a little.

"More like my father didn't get along with me," Angel replied. "We had differing views on how I should've lived my life. I wanted to party all day. He wanted me to grow up and be a man."

"I take it he didn't win?" Faith asked.

"No," Angel said. "I completely wasted my life. Then I became a vampire and wasted two hundred some years killing people."

"But then you got the curse," Faith finished for him.

"Exactly. Killed the wrong girl and got cursed for it. But honestly, I wouldn't call it a curse," Angel replied.

"Really? Not being able to have sex with anyone for fear of turning evil and killing all of the important people in your life isn't a curse?" Faith asked.

Angel looked over at her. "Well, when you put it that way," he replied jokingly. "And it's not that I can't have sex with anyone, it's that I can't have a moment of pure happiness."

"Buffy gave you pure happiness?" Faith asked a bit sarcastically.

"You don't think it's romantic?" Angel asked.

"I've never really gone in for all of that romantic bullshit," Faith replied.

"It's not all bullshit. Some of it is. Valentine's Day, for instance, is total bullshit. You don't need a day to tell someone how much you care for them. That's not that point, though," Angel said. "The point is, for two hundred some years, I was asleep. I was walking around, talking, laughing, drinking, killing, but I was asleep. Angelus was in control of everything. But when they cursed me, it was like my eyes opened up."

"You woke up again," Faith said softly.

"Yeah," Angel replied. "I didn't handle it well for a while. Spent a lot of time feeling sorry for myself, living in an alley, and drinking blood from rats."

"That's pretty gross," Faith responded.

"I know," Angel agreed.

"So what happened?" Faith asked, intrigued by his story.

"This guy called Whistler found me. Told me I had a chance to make things right. So he took me out to California – Los Angeles, specifically – and told me to go see a girl," Angel said, smiling fondly at the memory. "So I went to Hemory High in Los Angeles and waited outside in a car with blackened windows. That was the first time I saw Buffy."

"You didn't meet her here?" Faith asked.

"No. The first time she ever saw me was in Sunnydale, but I had seen her before that," Angel replied. "I don't know why I'm telling you all of this, but I guess I just need you to understand. Yes, I'm a vampire. And yes, I did some horrible things to a lot of people, some of whom you know. But there's a lot more to me than that. The same can be said for other demons. Not everything is so black and white."

"Yeah," Faith replied. "I think I'm starting to get that."

"Tea is ready," Giles said, walking into the room carrying a tray. He poured three cups and then sat down across from Faith and Angel. His crossbow was propped up against the side of his chair. "You said you needed our help. Care to elaborate?"

"I've been seeing things," Angel said, his eyes glued to the floor. He could not bring himself to look Giles in the eyes, not after what he had done to Jenny Calendar.

"What kinds of things?" Giles asked, interested despite himself.

"People from the past. People that I've killed. They're like dreams, only I see them when I'm awake. Faith walked in on me in an alley tonight, talking with one of them. That's why we're here," Angel answered.

"And when you walked into the alley, there was no one there?" Giles asked, looking over at Faith.

"No, it was completely empty," Faith replied.

"What do you think it could be?" Angel asked.

"I'm not entirely sure," Giles replied. "But whatever it is, it seems to have singled you out. For the moment, we can assume that it has done so purposefully. There's something you have, something connected to you that it wants."

"So we're assuming that whatever this is, there's an it involved?" Faith asked.

"I would imagine so," Giles answered.

"Great, another thing for me to have to kill," Faith sarcastically replied.

"Perhaps," Giles replied. "Although I wouldn't jump to any conclusions. If spirits are haunting you, than perhaps there are other ways that we can eliminate them."

"Whatever we have to do, let's get it done," Angel spoke up. "I don't know how many more of these visits I can take."

"We'll get right on it. However, I do insist that we involve Buffy and the others. We'll need to do a lot of research, much more than just the three of us can handle," Giles replied.

Angel sighed and sat back, resting his hands in his lap. "Whatever you think is best," he replied resignedly.

…………………..

Angel stood by the fire in his mansion, his back to the apparitions that haunted him. He could hear them talking to him, pleading with him, and yelling at him for the things that he had done to them. But the only voice he heard was that of Jenny Calendar. "Having trouble sleeping, Angel?" Jenny asked, moving over to him.

"You're not real. You're not here," Angel replied.

"I'm always here. I can't leave. You won't let me. You're keeping me trapped here. Caged in this horrible place," Jenny shot back.

"What do you want from me?" Angel asked, exasperated.

Jenny smirked. "I want you to suffer, Angel," she replied. "But most of all, I want you to realize your true potential."

"What do you mean?" Angel asked, looking over at her in surprise.

"You know how you can make all of this stop," Jenny answered.

"No, I don't," Angel shot back.

"It's very simple really. You feel so guilty about everything that you've done. Angel, you're holding yourself back. Just let go. Just be _him_," Jenny replied.

"Be who?" Angel asked.

"Be Angelus. Be free," Jenny said.

"I can't do that," Angel replied, turning away.

"All you have to do is kill her," Jenny replied.

"Kill who?" Angel asked angrily.

"You know who I'm talking about – the person that causes you the most frustration and pain. The person who you can't possibly live without, but you can never really live with. Kill her and you'll be free. Kill her and you'll never see me again," Jenny answered.

"I may not be able to live with her," Angel replied. "But I can live with you. You want me to suffer? Well, I'll make you suffer. I'll make you linger here for all eternity, never able to move on."

"No, you won't," Jenny replied smugly. "You'll kill her soon enough. You're too weak, Angel. You'll succumb. You always do."


	33. The Challenge

The Quickening

Previously:

"I may not be able to live with her," Angel replied. "But I can live with you. You want me to suffer? Well, I'll make you suffer. I'll make you linger here for all eternity, never able to move on."

"No, you won't," Jenny replied smugly. "You'll kill her soon enough. You're too weak, Angel. You'll succumb. You always do."

Chapter Thirty-Two:

"I think we may have found something," Giles announced as Buffy and Angel walked into the library the next evening, with Faith trailing behind silently.

"Oh yeah? What's up?" Buffy asked, sitting at one of the tables. Angel stood behind her, his hands resting on the back of her chair. Faith moved over to the table where Xander was sitting and slid into a chair next to him. She could see Willow looking curiously over at her from the corner of her eye. But when she looked toward the red-haired Wicca in training, the girl quickly looked away, focusing her attention back on Giles.

"We believe that whatever is haunting Angel is called The First," Giles replied.

"First what?" Faith asked, leaning back in her chair. She smiled when she felt Xander reach under the table and slip his hand into hers.

"It's an ancient power. Older than anything I've ever heard of. The First Evil. From what I've read about it, The First Evil would be the only thing capable of bringing Angel back from Hell," Giles answered.

"So if it brought me back, it must have done so for a reason," Angel concluded. He was not going to admit it, but he thought he knew exactly why the First brought him back.

"Yes, but what that reason is, I can't say," Giles said, removing his glasses and cleaning them on the front of his shirt. Faith smiled, knowing that Giles was growing frustrated with his lack of knowledge of the First Evil. The act of cleaning his glasses seemed to be a nervous reaction, a way of calming himself when he became frustrated, angry, or embarrassed about something.

"I've seen these guys before," Buffy said, sliding one of the books closer. "In my dreams, I've seen them."

"You're having dreams too?" Angel asked, looking down at her in surprise. Buffy instantly reddened and sheepishly looked down at the table.

"Yeah, I didn't realize that they were important though," Buffy replied.

"You should always tell us when you have dreams if they seem relevant to your duties as a slayer," Giles said patiently. "You don't need to report every frivolous dream your ever have, but slayers are known to have prophetic dreams – dreams that are intrinsically involved in their fight against evil. Those kinds of dreams can be very important."

Faith looked up as Giles finished talking, the memory of her recent balcony dream flashing through her mind. That dream had been different than most dreams she had. It reminded her of the types of dreams she had around the time she found out that she was a slayer. Those dreams were prophetic in nature. One of them had even involved Kakistos, though she did not know what Kakistos was at the time. It was only after she fled from Boston that she realized that she had dreamed everything that was going to happen some months before it actually did. The dream on the balcony was definitely a slayer dream, but she did not know what it meant. Though she imagined that she should tell Giles about it, she did not want to tell him. Something about the dream spoke to her, something about it told her to keep it secret for just a little longer. Instead of involving demons, the dream involved just her. She wanted to know more before she told anyone about it.

"You okay?" Xander whispered over to her. Faith looked over at him sharply.

"Five by five, why?" Faith asked.

"You're kinda crushing my hand," Xander whispered back, flashing her a smile to hide the pain. Faith instantly lessened her grip.

"Sorry," she mumbled, looking back over at Giles.

"So who are these guys?" Buffy asked, referring to the book.

"They're the harbingers of the First. The text refers to them as Bringers. They are most likely what's affecting Angel. The First grants them some of its power, allowing them to perform certain tasks," Giles answered.

"Like what?" Angel asked.

"Well, conjuring spirits for instance," Giles replied. "They are most likely the ones creating the visions that you're seeing."

"So how do we stop them?" Xander spoke up.

"It's not going to be easy," Giles replied, sitting down. "We can't fight the First. It's incorporeal. However, we can fight its Bringers."

"We just need to find them," Willow muttered.

"Any ideas?" Oz asked, looking around the table at each person. They all sat deep in thought.

"Willy," Angel replied. "He knows everything that happens in this town."

"Yes, I imagine he would be quite useful," Giles agreed. "Buffy, go to Willy's see if you can't dig something up. Take Angel with you."

"No problemo," Buffy replied, leaping to her feet, happy to be able to do something other than sit around and research. She and Angel quickly exited the library, leaving the others to continue on with the books.

"Help me put these away," Faith said to Xander, picking up some of the discarded books. He grabbed some as well and followed her as she walked back to the stacks. Faith could feel Willow's eyes on her as she walked away. She was tempted to look back and catch the girl in the act, but she thought better of it.

"So, did you really want me to help you put these away, or did you just want to get me all to yourself?" Xander joked, sliding his books onto one of the shelves. Faith smirked.

"A little bit of both, actually," she replied.

"Oh yeah?" Xander asked lowly, moving forward. Faith smiled and grabbed the front of his t-shirt, pulling him closer. His lips crashed against hers, his tongue instantly sliding into her mouth as he pushed her back against the wall. He tangled one of his hands in her hair as their tongues dueled and slid his other hand under the material of Faith's shirt, running his fingertips across the bare skin of her stomach. He could feel the muscles of her stomach jumping he touched her and she moaned into his mouth.

Breaking away, Xander smiled a little, struggling to catch his breath. "If we don't stop now, I'm not sure I'm going to be able to," he said, his voice low and rough with desire. Faith smiled, understanding what Xander meant when she felt his desire brush against her thigh.

"Maybe I don't want to stop," Faith replied, grinning when Xander's eyes went nearly as wide as saucers.

He was about to respond when they heard someone clearing her throat behind them. Xander moved away from Faith and looked back to see Willow standing there with some books. "Giles wanted me to put these away," Willow replied, walking between them and slipping the books onto one of the shelves. She glanced over at Faith, her eyes coldly taking in the other girl.

"Need anything else?" Faith replied, her eyes issuing their own challenge, one Willow apparently was not ready to accept.

"No, that's it," Willow answered, turning on her heel and walking away.

"So that's like the second time we've been interrupted," Xander said, turning back to Faith after Willow had left.

"Well, I can think of at least one place we can go to be alone," Faith replied. "How's the apartment working out for you anyway?"

Xander had found an apartment the day before down by the old motel where Faith used to live. He had Giles sign the lease with him, as reassurance for the apartment manager that the bills would be paid on time one way or another. Giles had even offered to pay Xander's first month of rent so that he could find a job and get on his feet without having to worry. Though Xander did not want to take Giles's money, he had to agree. He did not have enough to cover the rent and he had yet to find a job, though he had an interview at a restaurant in town the next day.

"It's good," Xander replied. "It's nice actually liking to go home."

"Yeah, I know what you mean," Faith said. "By the way, Giles wanted me to invite you over for Christmas tonight. I don't know what you normally do, but he wants to have some kind of special dinner or something."

"Sounds good," Xander replied. "Count me in."

"Okay," Faith said, smiling. "We should probably get back."

"Yeah, they're gonna think that we got lost or something," Xander joked.

"But we are definitely gonna finish this later," Faith responded. "I meant what I said."


	34. Amends Part 2

The Quickening

Notes: Thanks for all of the reviews.

Previously:

"Yeah, I know what you mean," Faith said. "By the way, Giles wanted me to invite you over for Christmas tonight. I don't know what you normally do, but he wants to have some kind of special dinner or something."

"Sounds good," Xander replied. "Count me in."

Chapter Thirty-Three:

"I haven't really celebrated Christmas in a long time," Xander said as he and Faith approached the door of Giles's apartment.

"Yeah, I know what you mean. Christmas around my old place usually just involved my mom getting drunk and yelling at me," Faith replied.

"Nothing really to celebrate there," Xander said. "My dad did the same thing. He'd yell at my mom, maybe hit her around a little. I remember some years the tree getting knocked over. I can still hear the sound of Christmas balls breaking."

"Well, I hope this year is better," Faith responded.

"It should be," Xander said. "Giles left the library hours ago."

"Yeah, I wonder what he's been up to," Faith replied as she dug her keys out of her pocket. Sliding the key into the lock, she pushed the door open. The smell of dinner cooking greeted Faith and Xander as they walked into the apartment. "Holy shit," Faith muttered, looking around the room in awe.

"He's been busy," Xander said, impressed.

Nearly every inch of the apartment was decorated. Colored lights adorned the inside of the windows and a tree was set up in the corner. Presents were spread around the base of the tree and it was covered with Christmas balls. A mechanical Santa had been placed on the coffee table and garland hung from practically every surface. "This is incredible," Faith said. "Giles, you here?" She called.

Giles appeared from the kitchen and smiled a bit nervously. "Ah, you're here. Excellent. I was wondering when you'd arrive," he said, visibly resisting the urge to clean his glasses.

"This place looks great, G," Xander said, looking around the apartment.

"Yeah, this is incredible," Faith agreed.

"I'm glad you like it," Giles said, smiling in relief. "Dinner should be ready in a few minutes." Giles disappeared back into the kitchen and Xander moved over to the couch, sitting down.

"Hey, I'll be right back, okay?" Faith said, quickly walking into the kitchen.

"Need anything?" Giles asked, noticing her enter.

"Nah, I just wanted to say thank you," Faith replied, nervously fiddling with her hands. "No one's ever done anything like this for me."

"It was my pleasure," Giles replied sincerely. "I haven't had anyone to celebrate Christmas with for some time. This was just as much for you as for me."

Faith smiled. "You know, I'm glad I came here. For a long time, I thought Sunnydale was a bad idea. But this place is home now and it's pretty much because of you." Stepping forward, Faith quickly planted a kiss on Giles's cheek and stepped back, looking down at the ground, rather embarrassed. "So, I'll just be out there with Xander."

Giles nodded, a smile plastered on his face. "Merry Christmas, Faith."

Faith, Giles, and Xander had just finished eating dinner when the telephone rang. When Giles answered it, his face immediately fell into Watcher mode. "I understand, we'll be right over," he said before quickly hanging up the phone.

"Who was that?" Faith asked.

"Buffy," Giles replied. "Apparently Angel came over to her house tonight. He seemed rather disoriented. Buffy is worried that whatever is happening to him is progressing. She wants Xander and I to look after her mother while you and she try to find Angel."

"Sounds like a plan," Faith said as she and Xander got to their feet.

………………….

They arrived at Buffy's house to find her pacing on the front stairs. "That bad, huh?" Xander said as they walked up to her.

"We have to do something right now," Buffy replied anxiously.

"Calm down," Giles answered. "You and Faith have to find him before we can decide on any course of action."

"Well, start thinking," Buffy said. "We're losing him, Giles. He's slipping. It was like he couldn't tell if I was even there. He wasn't talking to me half the time, he was talking to something I couldn't even see. We have to find the Bringers."

"I hate to be the one to ask this," Faith said, "but what are we supposed to do if he becomes…a danger?"

"If he were to become a danger," Giles replied, "you'll have to treat Angel like you would any other vampire."

"Kill him?" Buffy cried. "That…and I'm only going to repeat this once…is a last resort. We're bringing him back here."

"Whatever you say, B," Faith said, giving in.

"Good, let's go," Buffy said, practically charging down her porch stairs and disappearing into the night. Faith rolled her eyes, flashed a quick smile back at Xander and Giles, and followed her.

"Joyce," Giles said, greeting Buffy's mom as she opened the door. He looked down at his shoes and cleared his throat. Xander looked over at him.

"Mr. Giles," Joyce replied, nearly mirroring his actions and moving away from the door. "Won't you both come in? I just have to get something from the kitchen."

"What's up with you two?" Xander asked as he and Giles entered the house. Xander closed the door behind him and they both went into the living room, sitting down on the sofa.

"Do you remember the events that followed the sale of the band candy?" Giles asked.

"Yeah, you guys all turned into teenagers," Xander replied, unable to forget the weirdness of that night.

"Yes, well. While I was acting as my former self, Joyce and I may have…copulated," Giles answered.

Xander looked over at Giles incredulously. "You had sex with Buffy's mom?" He whispered harshly.

"Yes…I did," Giles admitted. "But don't let her know that you know."

"Right…my lips are sealed," Xander replied as Joyce walked into the living room.

"Tea anyone?"

…………………….

"Where the hell could he be?" Buffy sighed in frustration. She and Faith had been wandering all over town looking for Angel, only to have their efforts amount to nothing.

"Maybe we're going about this the wrong way," Faith replied.

"What do you mean?" Buffy asked.

"We're just wandering around," Faith said.

"Okay, so what do you remember from those books Giles showed us about the First?" Buffy asked.

Faith sighed and looked down at the ground. "Something about the Bringers being Harbingers of death…nothing growing above or below…," Faith replied.

"Hold that thought," Buffy said suddenly, remembering her Christmas tree shopping experience with her mother. The tree lot had a section of dead trees. The manager had said that nothing would grow there. "I have an idea. And how did you remember that?"

"Guess I'm not as dumb as you thought," Faith answered.

"Right," Buffy replied and took off running.

"Where are we going?" Faith yelled after Buffy as her counterpart tore through the streets of Sunnydale.

"The Christmas tree lot," Buffy replied.

"Why?" Faith asked, as they slowed their pace. The Christmas tree lot loomed ahead of them.

"There's a ring of dead trees in the lot," Buffy answered. "The Bringers must be underground."

"Under the lot," Faith replied. "I get it."

"Here," Buffy said as they discovered the ring of dead trees. "We need something to dig with."

Faith looked around and grabbed an ax. "This'll do," she said, swinging it over her head and bringing it down into the ground. The ground cracked and Buffy stomped down on the dirt with the heel of her shoe. Instantly, the ground gave way and Buffy and Faith fell through, landing a cave nearly ten feet below. Faith looked up at the hole they had fallen through and shook her head. "Little warning would have been nice there, B," she said.

"Shut up," Buffy replied.

"That's nice," Faith answered.

Buffy glared over at her. "I didn't mean it like that. I can hear something."

"Oh," Faith said, pulling herself to her feet and following Buffy as she walked further into the cave.

"Look what I've found," Buffy said, stopping suddenly. A large room opened up in the cave and in the middle, a group of Bringers were sitting around a table.

"Just what we were looking for," Faith commented. "A bunch of blind guys in dorky robes."

The Bringers rose to their feet and rushed at the two slayers. Buffy and Faith fought them off, pushing the Bringers further back into the cave. Once they realized that they were not going to be able to fight off the slayers, they fled, running back through the tunnels in the caves. Buffy and Faith overturned the table, destroying the artifacts that had been lying on it. "That should do it, huh?" Faith asked, looking over at Buffy.

"Not quite," a voice rang out from behind them. "But still, I'm impressed."

Buffy and Faith spun around. Faith looked over at Buffy, who had fallen silent. "Who is she?" Faith asked.

"Jenny Calendar."


	35. Amends Finale

The Quickening

Previously:

"That should do it, huh?" Faith asked, looking over at Buffy.

"Not quite," a voice rang out from behind them. "But still, I'm impressed."

Buffy and Faith spun around. Faith looked over at Buffy, who had fallen silent. "Who is she?" Faith asked.

"Jenny Calendar."

Chapter Thirty-Four:

"Wait, this is Jenny Calendar? _The_ Jenny Calendar? Giles's old girlfriend?" Faith asked, looking curiously back and forth between Buffy and Jenny.

"No, this isn't Jenny Calendar," Buffy replied coldly. "This is the First Evil."

"Well, the First Evil in Jenny Calendar's body," Faith replied. "So that's what she looks like. You know, Giles doesn't have any pictures around or anything. I never knew what she looked like."

"I guess it's just too painful for him," Jenny chimed in. "I mean, after all, Angel did murder me and leave my body in his bed for him to find."

"I'm sorry, were we talking to you?" Buffy asked, looking over at the First Evil.

"No, but to be honest, I am getting a little bored," the First replied.

"I'm sorry," Faith replied, turning back to the First. "But why should we give a shit about that?"

"I think I know why," Buffy replied. "It's evil right? And it's going to do evil things. Not like we haven't heard that story before."

"So, what sets you apart? What makes you any different?" Faith asked, stepping forward.

"What are you gonna do?" The First Evil taunted. "You can't hurt me. I'm incorporeal. Must be difficult – being a slayer and being unable to do anything to stop me. Must make you feel so helpless."

"You won't get Angel," Buffy shot back.

"Besides, we may not be able to kill you, but we can kill all of your boys," Faith replied smugly.

"Such confidence. I imagine that I'm supposed to be absolutely terrified," the First replied. "But I can tell you – you're wrong. Angel will be dead by sunrise. There's nothing that you can do about that," the First chuckled and then vanished from sight.

"Dead by sunrise?" Faith muttered to herself.

"What does that mean?" Buffy asked, visibly disturbed.

"He's gonna try to kill himself," Faith said suddenly.

"What?" Buffy asked, looking over at her anxiously.

"The First can't kill him. It's incorporeal. It's boys haven't tried to lay hands on Angel and the apparitions can't do shit either. The only person who can kill Angel at this point is Angel," Faith replied logically. Buffy looked at her for a second longer before dashing forward into the cave, looking for the exit that the Bringers had run for when they realized that they could not defeat the slayers.

"Buffy!" Faith yelled after her, knowing that she would not be able to catch up with the older slayer even if she tried. Buffy was running with a fierce determination to find Angel and stop him from ending his life. "What am I supposed to do now?" Faith muttered to herself, glancing around the cave. Sighing and shaking her head, she started jogging after Buffy, hoping at least to find a way out of the cave.

………………..

"Well, this is in no way awkward," Xander said, folding his hands in his lap and looking over at Giles. "Did you really have to sleep with Buffy's mom? I mean, out of all of the people in Sunnydale – all of the, I'm sure, rather attractive, single, middle aged women in this town – you just had to sleep with Buffy's mom. Buffy – being your slayer, who you have to have contact with every single day. Buffy's mom!" Xander said emphatically.

"I was under the influence of magically enhanced band candy!" Giles retorted with equal passion.

"That's no excuse!" Xander replied.

"Yes, it actually is. Besides, she's an attractive woman. Give me a break. I had reverted back to the way I used to be when I was younger," Giles said.

"So you're just gonna pull the 'I'm a guy and I can't help it' card, huh?" Xander responded. Giles glared over at him.

"Like you've never pulled that card?" Giles replied knowingly.

"This isn't about me," Xander retorted.

"What are you boys talking about?" Joyce asked, walking back into the living room.

"Nothing," Xander and Giles replied in unison. An awkward silence followed as Joyce sat across from them in an easy chair. Giles cleared his throat and looked down at the ground. Xander looked back and forth between them. Joyce was looking anywhere but at Giles.

"Okay, let's get one thing straight. I know what happened with you guys. And yeah, I'll admit, it's kinda weird. But hey, you both were hopped up on band candy. You're both adults," Xander said, looking at them both. "So get over it already. You're gonna have to see a lot of each other. Move on."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Joyce replied, a little flustered.

"He knows what happened," Giles said. "I told him."

"You what?" Joyce answered, nearly jumping to her feet.

"Well, he picked up on some awkward…."

"Vibes," Xander finished for Giles. "I picked up on some awkward vibes when we came in earlier. But listen, it's cool. Giles is Buffy's Watcher, he's gonna be around. So you had sex. People have sex. It doesn't have to be the end of the world."

"You know, Xander, sometimes you actually make sense," Giles replied, looking over at the teenage boy.

Joyce sighed. "I suppose you're right," she said. "After all, we weren't exactly ourselves."

"Exactly," Giles replied. "So let's just move on. It happened. But that's that."

"Yeah," Joyce agreed. "Thanks, Xander," she said, looking over at him and smiling. "Do either of you want any Christmas cookies?"

They were about to respond when someone started knocking on the door. All three of them looked over at it. Joyce moved over to the door and opened it, revealing Faith. "Hey," she replied, walking into the house.

"Where's Buffy?" Giles asked as he and Xander joined Joyce.

"She went after Angel," Faith responded. "Apparently he's going to try to kill himself. I tried to follow her, but I had no idea where she was going."

"He's gonna try to kill himself?" Xander asked in surprise.

"That's what the First said. It said that Angel would be dead by sunrise," Faith answered.

"And there's no one who could kill him but him," Giles replied.

"That's what I said," Faith said. "Guess we're starting to think alike, huh G-man?" Giles smiled as she moved passed him, into the kitchen where Joyce was preparing a tray of Christmas cookies.

"Hey, you guys, check this out," Xander called from the front foyer.

"What's up?" Joyce asked as she and Faith walked back out to where the guys were standing.

"It's snowing out," Giles commented.

"It actually snows in Sunnydale?" Faith asked, walking outside. Tiny flakes were falling from the sky, covering the ground in a blanket of white. Faith smiled. She had always loved snow. The winters had been cold in Boston and, without heat in her old apartment, those winters were sometimes unbearable. But snow always made everything seem better. It covered all of the grime and ugliness with a blanket of pure white. Xander moved behind her and wrapped his arms around her.

"Do you think Buffy got to Angel in time?" Joyce asked absently.

"I have no idea," Giles replied.

Xander leaned down and kissed the top of Faith's head. "Merry Christmas," he whispered. Faith smiled and leaned back into his embrace.

"You too."


	36. A Day in the Life

The Quickening

Notes: Life really gets in the way sometimes. Thanks for the reviews.

Previously:

Xander leaned down and kissed the top of Faith's head. "Merry Christmas," he whispered. Faith smiled and leaned back into his embrace.

"You too."

Chapter Thirty-Five:

Faith sighed and lit up a cigarette as she sat on the bleachers by the football field. The grass was a sea of perfect green that reminded her of the lawns of the houses in the rich part of Boston. She used to like to get on the bus at the far end of the city and ride it through its entire route, from downtown with the big skyscrapers that stood as steel monuments reflecting in the sunlight, to the historic district where people did so many great things back in the days where one person could change the course of history, to the neatly kept mansions at the edge of the city where the doctors and lawyers lived. Faith would sit in the back of the bus while the driver sat and ate his lunch up front and she would stare at the houses in awe, wondering at how people could live in such luxury when her mother could not even afford to heat their apartment.

Then the bus would ride back down the line, dropping her off at the end, in the section of the city where those rich people in their multi-million dollar houses never dared to step foot. The grass on the football field reminded her of the grass in front of those houses. It seemed that the rich people in Boston spared no expense to make sure that their lawns stayed perfectly green all year, even in the harsh months of winter when everything else was brown and dead. Taking a drag off her cigarette, Faith looked up into the sky. It was a perfect California day. It was amazing to think that just a few days before, it had been snowing in Sunnydale. Now, however, it felt almost like a spring day. It was pleasantly warm outside and the sun was shining down, draping a golden haze on everything within reach.

The school day had just ended a few minutes ago and the cheerleaders were assembled on the football field, warming up for practice. Apparently, there was a big game that night. The entire school had been in chaos that day as a result of it. Anybody who cared about the football team knew that their biggest rivals were coming to town to play. Faith could not have cared less about it though. She was not sitting out on the bleachers as some act of school pride, instead, she was sitting out there just to get away from everyone, mostly the Scoobies.

Willow was acting colder than ever. Every time Faith would look her way, the Wicca in training would be glaring at her mercilessly. If looks could kill, Faith would have been dead a long time ago by the way Willow was shooting her daggers. Faith could not figure out what was wrong. She knew that Willow was threatened by her attitude. Willow was a rather quiet individual, who had liked the way things had been before Faith showed up, when Buffy and Xander had given her all of their attention. Now, however, Buffy was preoccupied slaying with Faith and with her problems with Angel. She knew that Xander had not been hanging out with his best friend very often recently either, as he spent most of his free time with her. However, though she thought that she should feel guilty, she did not care that Willow was threatened by her. She was happy finally to have a friend to be with in Buffy, though she did not always get along with her sister slayer, and a boyfriend in Xander.

It was still strange for Faith to think of Xander as her boyfriend. She had never had a boyfriend prior to him. She smiled a little when she thought of him. He was the only guy who ever treated her nicely. The other guys she had been with had made very clear what they wanted from Faith. She knew that they wanted nothing more than the obvious, but with Xander, she knew things were different. He obviously wanted her, but he also cared about her. When he touched her, she could feel it. His touches were not the empty touches of her previous lovers – hurried and cold. His hands would linger on her skin and she could feel the warmth of his fingertips.

"Hey," a voice said, breaking Faith out of her thoughts.

"Hey," Faith said, turning to see Cordelia walking up the bleachers towards her.

"Mind if I bum one?" Cordy said, motioning to the cigarette in Faith's hand.

"Knock yourself out," Faith replied, handing her the pack of cigarettes and her lighter. "Didn't know you smoked."

"I guess there's a lot we don't know about each other," Cordy replied pointedly. Faith chuckled a little.

"Yeah, I guess so," Faith agreed. "So what are you doing up here anyway? Shouldn't you be down there with the rest of the cheerleaders, doin' your thing?"

"Probably," Cordy answered. "But to be honest, they won't miss me. It's not like any of them give a shit if I'm there or not."

"I thought they were your friends," Faith responded. Cordy snorted.

"The only real friends I've ever had were the Scoobies and they didn't even really like me most of the time. Those people down there are just leeches. They cling to whatever's hot for the moment, whatever people love, and they suck it dry to get everything they can from it," Cordy replied disgustedly.

"So why do you hang out with them?" Faith asked.

"Who else am I gonna hang out with?" Cordy retorted.

"I'm not doing anything," Faith replied, looking over at her. Cordy smiled a little.

"What're you saying?" She asked, not quite sure what to make of the dark haired slayer.

"I'm saying that I don't particularly feel like having Buffy kick my ass in training today and it seems like you don't particularly feel like throwing your pompoms around. Let's get out of here, do something fun," Faith answered.

"Seriously?" Cordy asked, intrigued by the possibility of getting to know Faith a bit better and by the idea of blowing off her responsibilities.

"Absolutely, what do you say?" Faith asked, looking over at her with a gleam of excitement in her chocolate eyes. Cordy smiled and nodded.

"Hell yeah," she replied enthusiastically. "Let's go."

………………………….

"Where the hell is she?" Buffy growled in frustration. "She was supposed to be here like hours ago. It's getting dark out."

"Something must have come up," Giles replied, looking over at the clock on the wall. "Although, it is unlike her to blow off her responsibilities without telling us."

"Really?" Willow asked, looking up from her books. "I thought that was her thing."

"What do you mean?" Buffy asked, looking over at her.

"Faith is like the epitome of responsibility blowage. She's all about the fun, not the work. Or am I the only person who pays attention to what she actually does around here?" Willow asked.

"Lay off it, Will," Xander replied. "She does a lot."

"Like what?" Willow shot back. "Other than making out with you all the time?"

"Slays every night for one," Xander responded. "What's your problem anyway?"

"I don't have a problem," Willow said pleasantly.

"Really? Because it seems like you're always ragging on Faith and I can't see why," Xander said.

"Maybe she's just jealous," Cordelia said smugly as she and Faith walked into the library. "Suffering from a bit of the green eyed monster, Will?"

"What is she doing here?" Willow asked bitterly, watching as Cordelia sauntered into the library with Faith at her side.

"I want her here, Red," Faith replied coolly.

"So what, the two of you are like friends now?" Buffy asked incredulously.

"Is that a problem?" Faith asked.

"No," Xander said, flashing Faith a crooked grin. "It's not. Cordelia's hung out with us before, helped us out a lot before, she should be here. Just don't bitch me out again in front of the entire school huh?" Xander said, smiling at Cordelia as she reddened and looked down at her shoes.

"Yeah, about that," Cordelia started to say.

"Don't even tell me that Cordelia Chase is about to apologize," Willow said caustically.

"Can I hit her now or do you want to?" Cordelia muttered over to Faith, who grinned. "All I'm saying, is I shouldn't have done it like that, okay?"

"I get it," Xander said.

"Why are you being so nice to her?" Willow asked, looking over at him.

Xander sighed. "What's the point in harboring a grudge, Will? It doesn't do anyone any good. Besides, in all honesty, we need the help around here. And so long as Faith and Cordy are hanging out, we've got an extra set of hands."

"That's a good point," Giles replied, choosing that moment to chime in. "You're a bit late for training," Giles said, looking over at Faith pointedly. Faith nodded.

"Yeah, sorry about that. We lost track of time," she said. Giles smiled.

"Well, I don't suppose it will be the end of the world," he replied.

"Thanks, G-man," Faith said. Giles knew that Faith had intentionally blown off training by the guilty look in her eyes. Though Faith liked to think that she could lie well, she most definitely could not. However, Giles thought it was important that Faith expand her social circle. Even though Cordelia was not the most reliable person in the world, he knew that the cheerleader had a good heart. She chose to hide it most of the time, but nonetheless, it was still there. Eventually, Faith would learn that she could be honest with Giles. However, Faith was still in the habit of lying to placate everyone in her life. He imagined that she had lied to her mother very often to keep from being beaten for doing things that normal kids were often allowed to do.

"So what's the plan for tonight?" Xander asked, looking at everyone.

"Nothing major seems to be happening," Giles replied. "You can all go if you want."

"Anyone up for the football game?" Cordelia suggested hopefully. She hated to admit it, but she had missed hanging out with the Scoobies. Though she knew it would take a while for them to forgive her for hurting Xander, she hoped to be included once again, even if only on the outside like she had been before everything happened.

"I'm in," Buffy said, seeing the hopeful look in Cordelia's eyes. She had been very similar to the cheerleader back in Los Angeles and she knew that there was more to Cordelia than Cordelia liked to let on.

"Yeah, I've got nothing better to do," Faith said shrugging. "Xan?"

"If you're there, I'm there," he replied.

"Sounds cool," Oz said, piping up for the first time. Willow looked over at him surprised, but sighed, knowing that she would have to go as well.

"Why not," she replied, less than enthusiastically.

"Excellent," Cordelia replied, feeling, for perhaps the first time, that life could be more for her in Sunnydale than it had been. Faith looked over at her and smiled.

"Not so bad, are they?" She whispered.

Cordy smiled. "Could be worse."


	37. Helpless Part 1

The Quickening

Previously:

"Anyone up for the football game?" Cordelia suggested hopefully. She hated to admit it, but she had missed hanging out with the Scoobies. Though she knew it would take a while for them to forgive her for hurting Xander, she hoped to be included once again, even if only on the outside like she had been before everything happened.

Chapter Thirty-Six:

"So where's Buffy?" Cordelia asked as she sat on top of an ancient, crumbling gravestone with her feet dangling a few inches from the ground.

"Across town," Faith replied, tossing her stake back and forth from one hand to the other. "Giles thought it would be good to spread us out. Catch more vamps that way."

"You know, I have to say, I actually missed patrolling," Cordelia said. "It would be about sunset, I would grab my jacket, and then remember that the Scoobs didn't want me tagging along anymore."

"Although, technically, that was your fault," Faith replied, grinning when Cordelia shot her an exasperated look.

"Point is, I'm glad you asked me to come along," Cordy said, rolling her eyes at the younger girl.

"Yeah, so am I," Faith replied. "It gets kinda boring out here when nothing's going on."

"Like it rough, huh?" Cordy asked, laughing along with Faith. "It is a little slow tonight though," she noted. They had yet to find a vampire and they had been out for nearly two hours.

"Slow would be an understatement," Faith answered.

"How about we Bronze it then? Not like we'll be missing anything important out here," Cordy suggested. Though she did enjoy patrolling with Faith, or the others, she was also quite partial to more entertaining, and slightly less dangerous activities, such as dancing with some of the more handsome guys in Sunnydale on a hot, sweaty dance floor.

"Sounds good to me," Faith said, slipping her stake into the waistband of her pants. "Let's motor."

…………………

"Jesus, B," Faith commented, walking into the library. "What have you been smoking?"

"Can't seem to hit the target today," Buffy said, turning to look back at Faith.

"Obviously," Faith replied. "A blind guy could do better than you today."

"Thanks, Faith, really feelin' the love," Buffy replied, plopping down on one of the library chairs with a loud sigh.

"Where's G?" Faith asked.

"In his office," Buffy responded. "He ducked out of the way when I started throwing the knives."

"I don't blame him," Faith said, sauntering over to Giles's office door. She swiftly knocked twice and yanked it open. "What ya got for me today?"

"Crystals," Giles replied, smiling back at her.

"Crystals? I'm gonna learn to kill vamps with crystals?" Faith asked.

"No," Buffy replied, her eyes laughing. "You just learn about the crystals. Giles made me do it yesterday."

"Oh," Faith replied. "That's cool I guess."

"Really not," Buffy said. "Well, I'm off. Training isn't going well today and for once, I actually want to go to class."

"That's a first," Faith replied jokingly.

"Really is," Buffy responded. "Later."

"So, what's with the crystals, G?" Faith asked as Giles walked out of his office with a box of crystals in his hands.

"It's a part of your training," Giles replied. "Being a slayer requires training on multiple levels. Not just the physical aspects of slaying, but also the mental aspects as well. You have to train your mind."

"Train my mind?" Faith asked absently.

"Your first Watcher didn't do anything like this did she?" Giles asked with a soft smile.

"Nah," Faith replied. "We were more concerned with staying alive than improving my state of education."

"Fair enough," Giles replied. "But now that staying alive isn't such an issue, it's about time we start focusing on other things. Now, this is an Amethyst."

………………….

Quentin Travers stood just inside the door of an abandoned boarding house on the outskirts of Sunnydale. The inside was covered with a thick layer of dust. The building had not been used in years, but Quentin thought that it was perfect. "Are we almost ready?" He asked one of his assistants, who was scurrying around the house.

"Yes, we're almost ready," Hobson said, pausing and regarding his boss politely. "Five or six more hours, perhaps. We should be ready in time."

"Excellent," Quentin said pleasantly. He moved aside as two of his employees wheeled a large, wooden crate into the room.

"He should be alright in there," Hobson said. "The Slayer's preparation is almost ready."

"He will prove quite a challenge," Quentin said, moving around the crate and eying it approvingly. "I hope the Slayer is up to it."

"If not, than no loss," Hobson said. "The world will be a better place when the line of Slayers is restored to their former glory."

"Yes," Quentin replied, his face turning sour. "Buffy and Faith – two of the worst Slayers in history. Never have we been subjected to more disrespectful people in the history of the Watcher's Council. We've located nearly every potential slayer. Once those two are gone, we'll have our girls in our grasp, able to mold them as we see fit." Quentin believed in the traditional modes of training a Slayer. However, some of his Watchers believed that more modern methods should be employed. Rupert Giles was one of those Watchers. The biggest mistake Quentin had ever made was allowing Giles to become a Watcher to a legitimate Slayer. Buffy Summers could have been much more with the assistance of a Watcher who believed in respect, diligence, and proper training.

"When will Mr. Price be arriving in Sunnydale?" Hobson asked, breaking Quentin from his thoughts.

"Mr. Price will be arriving quite shortly. Hopefully he can turn Faith around before it's too late – before she becomes another loose cannon. We have high hopes for him," Quentin remarked.

"He's a very good Watcher sir, I must say. An expert in demonology," Hobson commented.

"That he is," Quentin said. "I hope he proves his worth."

…………………

"Concentrate," Giles said, holding the crystal up in front of Buffy's eyes.

"I'm trying," Buffy replied, focusing her thoughts on the crystal in front of her. "What's supposed to happen again?" Buffy asked as she slowly fell into a trance.

"Buffy?" Giles asked, once he was satisfied that Buffy was hypnotized. Pulling a small package from his brief case, Giles opened it and removed a hypodermic needle. Filling it with a clear, yellow liquid, he tapped the needle twice to remove any air bubbles. Then he kneeled down next to Buffy and rolled up her sleeve. Carefully, he injected the needle into her arm, watching to make sure that she did not react. He was conflicted when Quentin called him to tell him that Buffy's trial was coming up. He wanted to follow Council tradition, however, he had become attached to Buffy. Though every Slayer had gone through the trial, he did not want anything bad to happen to Buffy. More than that, he dreaded the day when he would have to administer the test to Faith.

Moving around the table to his previous position, Giles picked up the crystal and waved his hand between it and Buffy's face. "Sorry, did I zone out on you?" Buffy asked, snapping to attention.

"Just a bit," Giles replied, smiling a little. "Perhaps we should call it a night."

"Yeah, I'll see you tomorrow," Buffy said, pulling herself to her feet, gathering her stuff, and leaving.

Giles watched her go. "Yes, you will."


	38. Temptation Awaits Helpless P 2

The Quickening

Previously:

"Buffy?" Giles asked, once he was satisfied that Buffy was hypnotized. Pulling a small package from his brief case, Giles opened it and removed a hypodermic needle. Filling it with a clear, yellow liquid, he tapped the needle twice to remove any air bubbles. Then he kneeled down next to Buffy and rolled up her sleeve. Carefully, he injected the needle into her arm, watching to make sure that she did not react.

Chapter Thirty-Seven:

"So, what do you think?" Xander asked as he officially finished giving Faith a tour of his newly furnished apartment. Faith looked around and nodded.

"Pretty cool, X-man," Faith said approvingly. "How's life treating you now that you're on your own?"

"I like it," Xander replied, grinning widely. "It's nice to actually like coming home after school, not fearing for my life, all that good stuff."

"I hear ya," Faith responded, agreeing with his sentiments entirely.

"Can you come over tonight for dinner, or do you have someplace to be?" Xander asked. "I'm not a half bad cook."

"I don't see why not. I'm supposed to go talk to Giles this morning. He seemed kinda anxious about something. Barring the end of the world, I'll be here," Faith answered.

"Sounds like a plan," Xander responded. "So, you should be going then. Give me some sugar first, though," Xander said, smiling when Faith rolled her eyes. She stepped forward, nonetheless, and gently pressed her lips against Xander's. Instantly, the kiss turned into something more. Their tongues met and Faith moaned into his mouth. Xander's hands were roaming over her body and every place his fingers touched, she felt sparks shooting through her body.

"Okay, to be continued," Xander said, breaking the kiss. "You have places to be and I'm a teenage boy making out with his girlfriend in his apartment without any parental supervision."

"Temptation awaits," Faith commented and Xander grinned.

"Exactly," he replied. "You're a pretty big temptation. Besides, it's insanely early in the morning and I don't even have to think about school for at least another half hour."

"I'll be back tonight," Faith responded as Xander opened the door for her. After a short walk, Faith arrived at the front steps of Sunnydale High. Giles had asked her to come especially early, earlier than Buffy or any of the others arrived at school – earlier than even Willow arrived at school. Faith was curious to find out why Giles was being so secretive. He seemed quite preoccupied the day before, quieter than usual. Something was going on and Faith was going to get to the bottom of it.

Pushing open the library doors, Faith walked inside only to find that she was not the first person to have arrived. "Who's this?" Faith asked, stopping short when she saw an older man standing in the middle of the library, wearing a tweed suit quite similar to some of the ones that Giles owned.

"This is Quentin Travers," Giles replied, turning to face Faith. He had been standing near the door of his office. "He's the head of the Watcher's Council."

"A little early for you to be training, Rupert. I thought mornings in California didn't start until quite late in the afternoon," Quentin commented sarcastically. Faith had already decided that she did not like the man. She resented most authority figures in the first place, but based on what Giles had hinted about the Watcher's Council, she could tell that Quentin was not someone to be trusted.

"Actually, we're quite diligent about our training," Giles replied casually. "Faith insists on getting as much time in as possible."

Faith instantly picked up on Giles's train of thought. "Yeah, the more the better, right? Vamps aren't gonna take it down a notch just because I'm not prepared."

Quentin nodded thoughtfully. "Quite correct," he responded. "How far have you gotten in her training, Rupert?"

"We've completed most of her physical training. Despite delays, we're progressing rather well through some of the more educational aspects of slaying," Giles said. "We've recently begun studying crystals. She catches on quite quickly."

"Very good," Quentin said. "Well, I just wanted to make sure that everything was progressing as planned."

"Everything is in order, as _you've_ stipulated," Giles replied rather bitterly. Faith looked up at him in surprise. Quentin stared back at him smugly.

"Nice to see that you still remember how to fall in line," Quentin said. "Good day." He walked passed Faith, quickly sizing her up and flashing her a vague smile before walking out of the library.

"What was that all about?" Faith asked, watching the man leave with disdain written plainly on her face.

"That's why I wanted to talk to you. The Council is in town," Giles said.

"Does Buffy know?" Faith asked, walking into the library and sitting down at one of the tables. Giles joined her.

"No," Giles replied quickly. "And you cannot tell her. I don't know how to stress that enough. You see, the Council is here for a specific reason."

"And what reason is that?" Faith asked, cold dread creeping into her heart.

"Every slayer since the beginning has been put through a trial of sorts on her eighteenth birthday," Giles explained.

"Tonight is Buffy's eighteenth birthday," Faith remembered.

"Yes, it is," Giles answered.

"So she's going to be put through this trial?" Faith asked.

"It's called the Cruciamenthum," Giles said. "Essentially, the slayer is stripped of her abilities. Then she is put into a room with a vampire. The expectation is that if the slayer is worth her calling, she will be able to defeat the vampire without her abilities. It's a right of passage."

"Has every slayer defeated the vampire?" Faith asked, growing uneasy. She did not like the thought of being stripped her abilities. She had grown to rely on her status as a slayer. It defined her very being. Without her slayer abilities, she was nothing, just some loser chick from Boston without a future, or destiny.

"No," Giles replied. "Not every slayer has defeated the vampire, which is why I called you here."

"What do you mean?" Faith asked, leaning forward to rest her elbows on the library table.

"I truly believe that Buffy can defeat the vampire without her abilities. However, I don't want to entertain the notion that she can't. The Council does not allow anyone to help the slayer once the Cruciamenthum has begun. Despite this, I want you to help her," Giles explained.

"How am I supposed to do that?" Faith asked.

"I know where the trial will be held," Giles said. "I want you to sneak in before it's set to begin."

"What do you want me to do once I'm in? The vampire will know that I'm there," Faith replied.

"I don't think he'll notice. They've starved the vampire. Once Buffy enters, he'll be too focused on her to notice the presence of another slayer. If it appears that Buffy can handle him on her own, let her. However, if it appears that she's having trouble, step in and kill him yourself," Giles said.

"Not a problem," Faith said.

"Excellent. I'll show you where it is this afternoon. Go there at dusk. It's a two-story building, so it would be best if you snuck in through the second floor. The vampire will be locked up until Buffy is scheduled to arrive," Giles explained.

"How are they going to lure her there?" Faith asked.

"I'm not sure," Giles admitted. "She'll be there no matter how they arrange it."

"Hey," Buffy said, suddenly walking into the library, oblivious that Giles and Faith had been talking. "So something weird just happened."

"What's up?" Faith asked nonchalantly.

"I just got my ass handed to me by some redneck out front," Buffy replied. "Cordy had to push him away."

"That's weird," Faith commented, looking over at Giles.

"What's going on, Giles?" Buffy asked, visibly shaken by the recent events.

"I'm not sure," Giles replied slowly. Faith could tell that he was lying. He was looking just above Buffy's head instead of directly into her eyes.

"But we'll get to the bottom of it," Buffy stated hopefully.

"Of course we will, B," Faith replied. "You're probably just sick or something."

"Yeah, that must be it," Buffy responded. "I have been feeling a little fluish lately."

"There you go," Faith, said smiling.

"You should get to class. I don't think your teachers will appreciate you being late again on my account," Giles said, smiling softly as Buffy nodded, wrapped her arms around herself, and wandered out of the library.

"I don't like this, G-man," Faith said, leaning back in her chair. "That shit's not gonna happen to me."

"Not if I can help it," Giles replied. "I had forgotten about this supposed rite of passage entirely. It wasn't until the Council came to Sunnydale and informed me of my obligation to administer the drug that suppresses the slayer abilities that I remembered at all. Most people at the Council feel that this trial is an archaic exercise that should be eliminated entirely. I am one of those people. However, as long as I am employed with the Council, I have the responsibility to fulfill my duties."

"So you would have tried to get her out of this if you could," Faith stated.

"Yes," Giles replied. "The last thing I wanted was for Buffy to lose her powers and have to fight a vampire on her own. That's why I asked you for help."

"Why didn't you just say no when the Council asked you to administer the drug?" Faith asked.

"The Council can be very persuasive," Giles replied enigmatically. "If you don't agree to their demands, they find ways to ensure that you will."

"They threatened you," Faith stated.

"Yes, they did," Giles answered. "They threatened to have me deported."

"You can't do any good for anyone in England," Faith reasoned.

"Exactly. I chose the lesser of two evils, at least in my opinion," Giles replied. "I hope Buffy sees it the same way."

"I'll keep her safe," Faith promised.

"Thank you," Giles replied gratefully. "I don't think you'll have to worry about the Council. When I received your file, after I learned of your Watcher's death, your date of birth was listed as unknown."

"But I told Kate what my birthday was," Faith said, confused.

Giles smiled. "I suppose she left that fact out on purpose," he said.

"She didn't want them to know when I turn eighteen," Faith replied, respect and admiration for her dead Watcher flaring up in her heart.

"I imagine she was trying to protect you from the trial," Giles stated. "And I will do everything I can to do the same. I just wish I could have done it for Buffy."


	39. The Mind of Alan Finch

The Quickening

Note: I apologize, as this chapter is exceedingly short. However, I do not have time to write much today, so I figured you all would just want what I did manage to write. So here it is. Thanks for all of the reviews.

Previously:

"Exactly. I chose the lesser of two evils, at least in my opinion," Giles replied. "I hope Buffy sees it the same way."

"I'll keep her safe," Faith promised.

Chapter Thirty-Eight:

Alan Finch stood at the end of the hallway leading to the Mayor's office. He had a crime report to deliver to his boss. When Alan first started working for the Mayor, he did not notice all of the strange things that went on around him. Specifically, he failed to see the gruesome artifacts that the Mayor housed inside of his office – the shrunken heads and other paranormal paraphernalia. As time progressed, he began to notice that some of the Mayor's friends and associates only came to work at night. More over, they had a certain unearthly feel about them. Alan did not realize what they were, until one of the secretaries told him about what really lurked out in the night of Sunnydale. Alan heard the whole story about the town sitting on top of a Hellmouth and how vampires, demons, and other creatures prowled the night looking for hapless victims.

The secretary also explained to him that though most vampires and demons were intrinsically evil, some saw a higher purpose to their continued existence, such as Mr. Trick. Instead of wishing evil upon the world, they wanted to help make it a better place. Since the Mayor knew about the state of his town, he decided that he would enlist the help of such noble vampires and demons, so that he could penetrate the very heart of Sunnydale's problems. The secretary had all but told him to look the other way when it came to the people with which the Mayor surrounded himself.

Alan, however, was beginning to have second thoughts about his affiliation with Sunnydale's top political figure. Though he would have liked to believe what the secretary had said, about the vampires desiring to help Sunnydale, he was not so sure that their intentions were as pure as she thought. He had seen some of the Mayor's reports, read documents not marked for his eyes, and he knew that the Mayor was up to something less than noble. However, Alan did not know what to do with his knowledge. He had never been one to deviate from the common path and he did not think that he had to strength to do it now. He had always just fallen in line with whatever anyone told him to do – from his mother, to all of his teachers, and now the Mayor.

However, he was starting to get to the point where he wanted, and needed, to make a stand – to fight back. He had decided that he did not like what was going on in the Mayor's office. He did not want to contribute to the actions of a man who was trying to perpetuate evil in the world. Though he had made up his mind that what he saw was not good, he did not know how to go about fixing it. He alone could not do anything to stop the Mayor from continuing his actions. The Mayor would simply kill him; of that much he was certain. He needed to find someone who was strong enough to stop the Mayor and protect him at the same time.

A bright smile lit up Alan's face when it suddenly dawned on him that though Sunnydale was home to numerous evil and filthy creatures, it was also home to two vampire slayers – mystical warriors chosen by fate, or god, or some higher power, to restore balance in the world by fighting the forces of darkness. Alan had read about the slayers in one of Mr. Trick's reports to the Mayor. Trick had been hired by the Mayor for a myriad of reasons. However, Trick's primary function was to eliminate the slayers, thus freeing the darker residents of the town from the constant fear of death. Alan knew that Trick had unsuccessfully tried to assassinate the slayers in an event he entitled 'Slayer Fest.' The event had failed – the slayers managing to defeat their assassins quite overwhelmingly. Alan knew that Trick was eager to make up for the defeat, as Trick knew that the Mayor did not like disappointments and tended to handle them a bit violently.

Alan knew that he could not let Trick succeed in killing the slayers, as they were his only hope for stopping the Mayor. Pulling himself together, he mustered all of his confidence, which was not very much, and slowly began walking towards the Mayor's office. When he reached the solid slab of wood, he raised his fist, and hesitated for a moment. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest. He imagined his face must have been blood red and felt almost as if sweat was starting to form on his forehead. Closing his eyes, he managed to focus his energy into calming himself. He took a deep breath and knocked on the door. The Mayor's cheerful voice greeted him, permitting him to enter. Alan opened the door and stepped inside.

Mr. Trick was seated inside of the Mayor's office, near the windows, which were covered by blinds to keep the sun from burning Trick into a pile of ashes. "I have the report you wanted," Alan said, stepping forward and handing the manila file folder to the Mayor. The Mayor took it with a smile and laid it down on his desk, barely even looking at it.

"How're you, Alan?" The Mayor asked pleasantly. "You look a little pale."

Alan repressed a gulp. His greatest fear was that the Mayor would figure out what he was up to and have him killed. "I'm not feeling very well today, sir," Alan managed to reply, his voice rather weak, but still audible.

"I'm sorry to hear that. Tell you what, why don't you take the rest of the day off? Rest up," the Mayor said, a look of concern gracing his features. "Can't have you getting ill, can we? We need you around here, Alan."

"Yes, sir," Alan said, faking a small smile. "I'd like that very much."

"Good, it's settled then," the Mayor said, clapping his hands and leaning back in his chair. "See you tomorrow." Alan nodded and turned to leave, quickly nodding at Trick on his way out. Once the Mayor's office door was closed behind him, he let out a small sigh of relief. He had been certain that the Mayor knew what he was thinking, knew that he was planning to betray him. However, the Mayor seemed quite oblivious to Alan's intentions, most likely assuming that Alan was too weak to try to stop him. Alan was determined to prove him wrong. He just needed to figure out a way to meet the slayers in secret.


	40. Helpless finale

The Quickening

Previously:

A bright smile lit up Alan's face when it suddenly dawned on him that though Sunnydale was home to numerous evil and filthy creatures, it was also home to two vampire slayers – mystical warriors chosen by fate, or god, or some higher power, to restore balance in the world by fighting the forces of darkness.

Chapter Thirty-Nine:

"Damn splinter," Faith muttered, pulling her hand back from one of the wooden crates piled up next to the boarding house where the Cruciamenthum was set to take place. The sun had set several minutes ago and, per her agreement with Giles, she was getting in place to help Buffy if her assistance became necessary. Though she was eager to help her sister slayer, Faith could also list several places she would have rather been than sitting on a wooden crate, trying to climb into a broken second story window of an abandoned boarding house where a caged up, starving vampire was waiting.

"And what the hell made me think this was a good idea?" Faith pondered aloud. She carefully crawled through the window, avoiding the broken glass, and hoping not to alert the vampire or any Council members still lurking around the boarding house to her presence. She could hear voices downstairs, broken snippets of conversation in English accents, but she could not hear what they were saying. Though her slayer senses had the normal tingle that walking around at night usually garnered, they were not flying off the charts as she had expected. She imagined that with a vampire locked up only a floor below, her senses would have been screaming at her to go and fight. However, she felt almost calm and a little more than slightly bored.

She had no idea when the Cruciamenthum was supposed to begin and she was eager to get back to Xander's apartment. Rising to her feet, she brushed some dust off her clothes, and moved over to the nearest door. She opened it a little, listening through the crack. "We've just set him loose, sir," one of the voices said. She heard a pointed silence and thought for a moment that the people had left.

"Very good," she heard Quentin Travers say. She could practically see him nod in approval. "And have we got our insurance?"

"Insurance?" Faith muttered to herself, wondering exactly what that meant.

"Yes, sir," the other voice replied. "She's being brought in immediately."

"Who?" Faith asked, moving closer to the door. She could hear the front door of the boarding house opening, followed by a heavy scuffling sound. Faith imagined that they were dragging a body in, probably not a dead body, but simply just an unconscious body. "Can't have dead insurance," Faith said to herself.

"She'll regain consciousness soon enough," the voice said.

"Good, put her upstairs," Quentin replied. "Can't have Kralik deciding to take a bite, now can we?"

"Absolutely not," the voice responded. Faith could hear two men dragging the unconscious woman up the stairs.

"Shit," she muttered to herself, somehow sensing that they were coming into the room she was currently occupying. Moving quickly away from the door, she scrambled into a nearby closet and closed the crumbling down door behind her. She had to hold it in place to keep it from falling off. The two men dragged the body into the room and sat it down on the floor. She heard them leave and walk down the hall. Then one of them dragged a chair back into the room. Faith watched through a crack in the door as the man put the unconscious woman on the chair and tied her down. Faith could not see her face, but the woman looked oddly familiar.

"She's not getting out," one of the man said. "Let's go. This whole thing creeps me out. I don't want to be here when Kralik comes back."

"Yeah, man," the other said. "Neither do I." Faith waited until their feet clomped back down the stairs and she could hear all four men leaving the house entirely before she carefully slid open the closet door.

"This is not good," Faith muttered as she saw the face of the unconscious woman tied down to the chair in front of her. Moving over to her, she quickly untied her. "Joyce? Can you hear me?" She asked, kneeling in front of Buffy's mother. "Joyce?"

Joyce's eyes slowly began to flutter open and she looked at Faith. "Faith?" Joyce asked, her voice slightly slurred. "Where am I?"

"Abandoned boarding house," Faith replied. "It's this whole thing. But we've got to get you out of here. It's really not safe."

"Why? What's going on?" Joyce asked, starting to become aware of her surroundings.

"Very soon, there will be an incredibly hungry vampire downstairs. And you can't be here when he gets back," Faith answered, helping Joyce to her feet.

"What about you?" Joyce asked, looking over at Faith with concern shining in her eyes.

"I'm supposed to be here," Faith replied.

"You're going to kill it?" Joyce asked as Faith helped her move across the room.

"No, Buffy's gonna kill it. I'm just here to help her out," Faith said.

"Oh, okay," Joyce replied.

"Stand here a minute," Faith responded, moving over to the window. Elbowing the window, she stuffed her hand up in her sleeve and knocked away the remaining glass. "Take my hand," Faith said, offering Joyce her hand. Joyce took it and Faith led her out of the window, onto the crates just below it. "So what happened anyway?"

"I heard this knock outside the kitchen door," Joyce replied. "I went to go see what it was…I thought it was Buffy…but it turned out to be some men with English accents and suits. Who were they?"

"Watcher's Council," Faith replied bitterly.

"But I thought the Council was on your side? Why would they kidnap me?" Joyce asked in confusion.

"Things aren't always what they seem," Faith answered. She helped Joyce climb down the crates and waited until Buffy's mom hit the sold ground below before she started walking.

"Where are we going?" Joyce asked, following after her.

"Back to your house," Faith replied. "I'm going to leave you there. I have to come back. But we'll call Giles first. Something tells me that you shouldn't be alone tonight."

"That's good," Joyce answered. "It would be nice to have someone there in case they try anything again."

"Agreed," Faith said. It did not take long for Faith and Joyce to arrive back at the Summers residence.

"I didn't leave the front door open," Joyce commented as they walked up the front sidewalk. Faith motioned for her to remain on the porch while she investigated. Moving cautiously into the house, she walked into the kitchen.

"Buffy? You here?" Faith called out. Silence greeted her ears. Turning she noticed a Polaroid picture taped onto the kitchen door. It was a picture of Joyce, unconscious on the kitchen floor. Grabbing the phone, Faith escorted Joyce into the house and dialed Giles's number.

"Giles, it's me," Faith said into the phone. "Get over to Buffy's house, now. There's been a problem."

"What's going on?" Joyce asked.

"I've gotta go. Giles should be here any moment. Just sit tight," Faith replied, rushing out of the door. She ran as fast as she could back to the boarding house. Scrambling back up the wooden crates, she crept in through the second floor window she had snuck out of with Joyce. She could hear a fight downstairs. Moving over to the door, she crept around the staircase and peered down. Kralik, the vampire the Council members had referred to, had Buffy pinned to the floor. He was about to bite her neck.

"Hey," Faith called from the top of the stairs. "I really wouldn't do that if I were you."

"Who're you?" Kralik asked, turning around to face her. Faith could tell that he was not playing with a full deck. A crazy light was shining in his eyes and it reminded her of something intimately familiar.

"I'm the other slayer," Faith replied.

"Other slayer?" Kralik asked, confused. "There's only one per generation."

"Not this time, pal," Faith answered. "You cool, B?" Faith asked, sauntering down the stairs as Buffy scrambled away from the vampire and waited in a corner.

"I'm good," she replied shakily. Faith smiled over at her reassuringly. Buffy watched her in awe she as fought Kralik, easily dusting him within a few moments. Buffy had always thought of herself as some kind of grand hero. Faith just did not seem to compare. Possibly, it was because Buffy had been a slayer longer, and Faith had just shown up out of the blue one day, but Buffy had always thought of Faith as more of a burden than a help. But as she watched Faith kneel down in front of her and brush a strand of her hair away from her face, she saw that Faith truly was a hero deep down inside, even though the younger girl never realized it.

"Let's get you outta here, yeah?" Faith said, smiling as she took Buffy's hand and helped her to her feet.

"Where are we going?" Buffy asked as they walked out of the front door.

"Back to your house. Giles is with your mom," Faith answered.

"You left Giles with my mom?" Buffy asked angrily.

"I take it you found out about what he did?" Faith asked.

"Yeah," Buffy replied. "How could you leave him with her?"

"Look, I know that you're angry with him. I would be too. But you have to look at this whole thing from his perspective," Faith answered. "The Council is much bigger than the two of us, B. They can do all sorts of things that we can't control."

"What do you mean?" Buffy asked, looking over at her.

"They threatened to have him deported if he didn't comply with their wishes, B. They probably could have done worse. The fact of the matter is, we're no better off than him. Giles isn't the bad guy here. They are. And we're gonna have to keep an eye on them. I don't think they're just gonna go away," Faith said.

"I can't make any promises," Buffy said, taking what Faith had told her into consideration. "But I'll think about it. I'm still pissed though."

"I get it," Faith replied. "Just don't write him off yet. I have a pretty good sense about people. Giles is one of the few people in this world that you can actually trust."


	41. Remnants

The Quickening

Notes: Thanks for the reviews. Keep them coming.

Previously:

But as she watched Faith kneel down in front of her and brush a strand of her hair away from her face, she saw that Faith truly was a hero deep down inside, even though the younger girl never realized it.

Chapter Forty:

Faith found herself standing in a dark alley. The moon was shining above her head, but it did not shed any light on the empty space in front of her. A street lamp popped nearby and Faith turned, looking back at it. "Do you remember this place?" A voice asked from the darkness. Faith turned back to face it, shuddering at the sudden chill that ran up and down her spine.

"I've never been here before," Faith replied. "I'm dreaming again, aren't I?"

"How very perceptive," the voice replied, shifting closer. Faith could feel the presence of another person in the alley, but she could not see her.

"Who are you? I know I've asked you that before. But I didn't understand your answer," Faith said, moving closer to the darkness.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," the voice warned.

"Do what?" Faith asked, stopping.

"I wouldn't walk into the darkness if I were you," the voice answered.

"Why not?" Faith asked, her curiosity piqued.

"You'll see things in there you'll wish you could forget," the voice replied.

"What kinds of things?" Faith asked, unconsciously moving closer to the shadows that lingered in front of her.

"Vicious things," the voice said, echoing around her. "Horrible things that people should never have conceived to do to each other."

Faith stopped mid stride, suddenly wanting to be as far away from the darkness as she could. "I think I know what you mean."

"Of course you do. You've seen the very worst side of humanity. That darkness has tasted the fear that pumps through your veins. Can't you remember the way it felt to have it surround you?" The voice asked. Faith could feel someone approaching her from behind, but she did not turn around to face whatever had invaded her dreams.

Closing her eyes, she tried to steer her mind away from the dark nights in Boston when she sat in a corner of her mother's apartment, shivering with pain and rage and emptiness. "I don't want to remember," Faith replied coldly.

"But you still do. You remember the acidic taste of rage filling your mouth, making you think things that you never should have dreamed of," the voice said. "Violent things."

"And what's wrong with that?" Faith asked, suddenly becoming angry. "After all the shit I had to put up with growing up, I have every right to be a little pissed off."

Faith could practically hear the owner of the voice sneering behind her. The voice clearly rang out through the alley in a mocking laugh. "That's it, Faith. You can pretend it doesn't exist, you can push it away and play the hero, but you'll never escape the darkness. It's inside of you. It's the hatred that swells in your heart every time you think of your mother and the horrible things that she did to you."

"I don't hate her," Faith replied softly.

"No? I would if I were you," the voice answered.

"But you're not me," Faith said. "She had her own problems to deal with. Maybe she didn't handle them the best way. But nobody's perfect."

"Nobody's perfect? That's your answer?" The voice asked in disbelief. "Tell me, Faith, when you were ten years old and your mother let her dealer fondle you for a bag of shit cocaine, tell me that didn't make you hate her with every fiber of your being."

"I don't have to listen to this," Faith replied, biting back tears. "I can just wake up."

"Then why haven't you?" The voice asked. Faith closed her eyes, wishing herself awake. But when she opened her eyes again, she was still standing in the alley and the owner of the voice was standing directly behind her. "If you want to know who I am so badly, why don't you just turn around?"

"I don't know if I'll like what I see," Faith answered.

"You'll never know until you do," the voice replied. Faith drew in a deep breath and slowly turned, taking in the face that belonged to the voice, which had haunted her dreams.

"Buffy?" Faith asked, turning to her see her sister slayer standing in front of her. "You're not B, you look different somehow."

"We all look different in shadow," the voice replied.

"Why her?" Faith asked. "Why did you pick her?"

"How do you know I'm not her?" The voice asked.

"There's nothing in your eyes," Faith replied. "You're empty."

"Maybe I'm just the embodiment of everything the future holds, Faith, for you and for her. Nothing is static," the voice answered.

"No, Buffy could never be like you," Faith responded with conviction. "I know who you are."

"Who am I, Faith?" The voice asked.

"You're that thing that was haunting Angel," Faith replied. "The First Evil."

"Well, aren't you a quick one," the voice answered.

"What do you want with me?" Faith asked, moving away. "And how can you be her, she's not dead."

"I'm in your dreams, Faith. I can be anything I want here. The reality of dreams is far different than the reality of your world," the voice said. "Remember this place, Faith. You'll see it again."

"What are you talking about?" Faith asked, looking around the alley, but it was already starting to fade. She felt like she was looking at a faded photograph, the edges of her vision blurring over until everything faded into black.

Faith's eyes fluttered open slowly, her eyes adjusting to the darkness that surrounded her. She was in her bed, in Giles's apartment. The memory of the night's events played through her mind. She had rescued Buffy and Joyce from Kralik and returned home exhausted. She fell into bed as soon as she walked through the door. She looked down, realizing that she had not even changed out of her clothes. Sitting up in bed, Faith reached over and turned on the lamp on her nightstand. According to her digital clock, it was nearly two o'clock in the morning.

Looking around the room, Faith realized how lonely she felt at that moment. Something about the dream made her feel incredibly cold, like she had lingered too long on the edge of oblivion and lost a piece of herself. Getting to her feet, she grabbed her keys off the nightstand and moved out of her bedroom. Carefully closing the door behind her, she snuck down the hall, hoping escape without waking Giles. She reached the front door and cautiously opened it, slipping out a crack big enough for her to fit through before quietly closing it behind her. She was not sure how Giles would take to her sneaking out in the middle of the night. However, the last place she wanted to be at that moment was alone in her room, mulling over the meaning of her dream.

Quickly locking the door, she began lightly jogging down the street, towards Xander's apartment. She knew he was probably asleep and would not appreciate being woken up, but she felt like she needed to see him. He seemed to ground her whenever life became too much for her to handle. As she jogged passed the hotel she had called home for the first few weeks of her stay in Sunnydale, she silently thanked whatever higher power had sent Giles her way. She could not imagine living there now. Finally, she reached Xander's apartment building. Pulling open the door, she walked inside. Xander's apartment was on the second floor. Instead of waiting for the elevator, she took to the stairs, quickly walking up them.

Once she reached Xander's door, she paused a moment to ran a hand through her tangled locks. Then she knocked on the door. After a few moments, she could hear Xander stumbling about inside of the apartment. His footsteps drew closer and the door opened. "Hey," Xander said groggily, running a hand over his sleep worn face. "When you said you were coming by tonight, I kinda thought you meant a little earlier."

"Yeah, I know. I just couldn't sleep," Faith said. Xander opened the door further, inviting her in.

"So naturally you decided to come wake me up," he jokingly replied.

"Naturally," Faith answered, smiling. "I thought maybe a change of scenery would help."

"Well, there's plenty of room," Xander replied, taking her hand and leading her back to his bedroom. She climbed into bed next to him, resting her head on his chest. She could hear his heart beating under her chest and the sound seemed to chase away the remnants of her dream that had been lingering on the edge of her consciousness.

"Night, Xan," Faith replied as she drifted off to sleep. Xander smiled and closed his eyes.

"Night."


	42. End of the World

The Quickening

Previously:

"I'm in your dreams, Faith. I can be anything I want here. The reality of dreams is far different than the reality of your world," the voice said. "Remember this place, Faith. You'll see it again."

Chapter Forty-One:

Faith quietly closed the door to Giles's apartment, hoping to sneak back in without awaking her legal guardian. "Good morning," Giles's voice rang out through the apartment. Faith cringed, resting her head against the door as it closed.

"Morning, G-man," she replied, sighing. Moving away from the door, she walked into the kitchen. Giles was sitting at the kitchen table, with a mug of tea in front of him.

"There's more on the stove if you want it," Giles said, motioning to the teakettle.

"I'm good," Faith replied, taking a seat. Giles nodded and lifted his teacup, taking a sip. Silence fell between them and finally Faith spoke. "What're you waiting for?" She asked.

"What do you mean?" Giles responded, setting his teacup back down on the table.

"Well, you obviously know that I was out all night, right?" Faith asked, realizing that she could have just inadvertently revealed herself. Giles nodded, watching as Faith visibly relaxed. "So aren't you gonna punish me or something?"

"Where did you go?" Giles asked, delaying his response to her question.

"Xander's," Faith replied. "I couldn't sleep. Thought a change of location might help."

Giles looked up at her, studying her face intently. He knew that she had been having trouble sleeping. He could hear her at night, tossing and turning in her bed, plagued by nightmares. He wondered if they were simply a product of her childhood, pieces of bad memories invading her consciousness at night, or if the nightmares were something more than that. Slayers often received prophetic dreams in the form of horrifying nightmares. "Why couldn't you sleep?" Giles asked casually. He could see Faith debating with herself over whether to tell him the truth. Finally, she sighed and ran a hand through her long, dark hair.

"I've been having these dreams," Faith responded shakily, almost as if she was unsure of herself.

"What kinds of dreams?" Giles asked calmly, trying to balance the concern he felt for her as her legal guardian with the professional interest he felt as her Watcher.

"They're strange," Faith answered, her eyes fixated on some distant point. "I can only really remember two. They feel like nightmares, but nothing really happens in them. In the first one, I was standing on this balcony. Someone was standing in front of me, holding a knife. I thought I recognized it, but I don't ever remember having seen one that looked like it. The person said a lot of things. Something about darkness mostly. It seemed like there was something below the balcony, something important. But this figure, it said that I wasn't ready to see it yet."

"What about the second dream?" Giles asked, not particularly liking Faith's description.

"In the second dream," Faith continued, "I was in an alley. It looked like something that could have been in Sunnydale, but really, all alleys look the same. There was this total darkness in front of me and, for some reason, I felt drawn to it – like I needed to be in it. The figure was there again. I saw it's face this time."

"Who was it?" Giles interrupted.

"Buffy," Faith replied, much to Giles's surprise. "Well, not really Buffy. It was the First Evil."

"The First Evil was in your dreams?" Giles asked, dread seeping into his heart. Quickly removing his glasses, he began to clean them on the front of his shirt. He had suspected from the moment Faith came to Sunnydale that having two slayers in a single generation was not simply an accident. Though he pleaded with the Council to research any prophecies that regarded multiple slayers, the Council refused, stating that the idea of two slayers at one time had never been entertained. As he got to know Faith better, he recognized a certain darkness in her, the same darkness he had possessed when he was a younger man. Buffy and Faith were like polar opposites, light and dark. Giles was certain, hearing Faith's description of her dreams, that something extraordinary, either good or bad, was going to happen in Sunnydale. It would happen between Buffy and Faith and Giles had the sinking feeling that only one of them would survive it.

"Yeah," Faith answered, noting his reaction. "That not a good thing?"

"I don't think so," Giles answered truthfully. Faith nodded thoughtfully and looked down at the table. "Please, continue."

"It kept talking about hate – how I had all this hate," Faith said.

"Hate directed towards whom?" Giles asked.

"I don't know," Faith said, shrugging. "I think it just meant in general. It brought up my mom," Faith said, looking down at the table. She could feel tears sting her eyes and she closed them, pulling herself together. Giles looked away. He hated to see her in pain. Though he knew how to comfort most people, Faith was not like most people. She was an enigma that he had just started to unravel. "Anyway, it told me to remember the alley, but I don't know why. So what do you think?"

"They're not just arbitrary dreams. They're most definitely slayer dreams. However, that being said, I'm not entirely sure what they mean. If I had more resources, I might be able to figure it out faster," Giles muttered to himself.

"What do you mean, if you had more resources?" Faith asked. "Can't you just contact the Council?"

"I'm afraid not," Giles answered. "Apparently, they discovered our plan to help Buffy. They relieved me of my duties as Watcher last night."

"Shit, are you serious?" Faith asked. Giles nodded solemnly.

"I imagine they'll be sending out a new Watcher for you and Buffy rather soon," he replied, then added when he saw the distressed look on Faith's face, "but don't worry, I'm not going anywhere."

Faith nodded. "Good. I'd hate to have to move back into that shitty motel," she replied jokingly, though Giles could see through her nonchalant attitude.

"Of course, this does mean that you and Buffy are going to have to cooperate with whomever they send out here," he added, smiling at the belligerent look that crossed her face.

"Do we have to?" Faith grumbled.

"With any luck, they won't send anyone too terribly dull," Giles commented, sipping his tea.

"Yeah, like you're just a ball of fun," Faith jokingly replied. Giles shot her a look.

"I could be worse," he replied. "I've lightened up considerably since I first got here."

"So I've heard," Faith answered.

"That being said, I actually have to go to work now," Giles responded, standing. "And you have to train."

"No more Council salary, huh?" Faith replied, grabbing her coat and following after Giles as he grabbed his bag, heading toward the front door.

"Unfortunately, no," Giles replied. "To be honest, I'm not actually sure what they pay me at the library," Giles said, laughing to himself.

"It's not really like you do anything there anyway," Faith said.

"I suppose I might have to start," Giles replied, jokingly aghast.

Faith smiled and said, "What's the world coming to."

…………………………….

"You better watch out for your boy," Cordelia said, sauntering into the library. Faith was sitting at one of the library tables, reading over the Slayer handbook, which Giles had finally decided to show her. He had intended to work with her on the crossbow, but found that when he arrived at the library, there were actual students that required his assistance, much to his surprise.

"Why's that?" Faith asked, closing the book and tossing it onto the table. She looked up at Cordelia as the cheerleader walked over at sat down across from her.

"He almost got his face beaten in a couple of minutes ago by Jack O'Toole," Cordelia replied.

"And I'm sure you really tried to bolster his confidence afterwards," Faith said, chuckling as Cordelia shook her head.

"Of course not," Cordy replied. "Look, I may be hanging out with these people again, but that doesn't mean I'm gonna start being nice to them when I have a perfectly good opportunity to tear them down."

"You're such a good friend, C," Faith responded.

"I know," Cordy replied matter-of-factly.

The library doors opened and Faith and Cordelia looked up to see Xander grumpily entering. "Hey, X-man," Faith said. "How's it going?"

"Am I cool?" Xander asked, joining the two girls at the library table.

"No," Cordelia replied instantaneously.

Faith shot her a look. "Not helping, C," she muttered under her breath to the other girl. Cordy shrugged.

"I'm not am I?" Xander stated. "See, I knew it."

"Who cares?" Faith replied. "You shouldn't let other people's opinions of you affect you. Screw everyone else."

"That theory work for you?" Cordy replied jokingly.

"Can we focus on me for just a minute here?" Xander interrupted, exasperated.

"Xan," Faith said, turning to him. "Do you really think I'd be going out with you if I thought you were the scum of the earth?" Faith asked. Then quickly added, looking at Cordelia, "Don't respond to that."

"I guess not," Xander replied looking down at the table. Cordy sighed.

"You know, Jack O'Toole's had to repeat the twelfth grade like three times. Seriously, I wouldn't worry about what he thinks," Cordy said. Xander nodded.

"How stupid do you have to be to fail the same grade three times?" Faith said, mostly to herself.

"Pretty damn stupid," Xander replied, laughing a little. Reaching under the table, he took Faith's hand, smiling over at her. "Thanks," he whispered. Faith nodded. "And thanks to you too," Xander said looking up at Cordelia. "You kinda made me feel not quite so bad."

"I'm here twenty-four seven," Cordy replied. "What's with him?" Cordy asked, motioning to Giles as he walked out of his office looking rather troubled.

"Is Buffy here yet?" Giles asked, just as Buffy walked in the door.

"I am now," Buffy replied, joining the others. Willow and Oz walked in shortly after her.

"So what's up, Giles?" Buffy asked. "You look a little flustered."

Giles sighed and sat a book down on the table. "How about the end of the world?"


	43. The Zeppo

The Quickening

Previously:

"So what's up, Giles?" Buffy asked. "You look a little flustered."

Giles sighed and sat a book down on the table. "How about the end of the world?"

Chapter Forty-Two:

Faith was the first to break the silence that had fallen over the group. "Was that a joke, G-man? 'Cuz if so, you really need to work on your sense of humor."

"I'm afraid it wasn't," Giles stated.

"So what's the deal?" Buffy asked. She had faced a number of apocalyptic events in her lifetime – probably more than one person should have to face. Despite that, it never got any easier to imagine that the world could be overrun by demons because she was not strong enough to stop them. However, with Faith in Sunnydale, Buffy felt more confident. Ever since Faith had rescued her and her mother from Kralik, Buffy found herself much more at ease with the younger girl. Faith had finally won Buffy's trust and even a little bit of her admiration.

"The Sisterhood of Jhe," Giles said, reading the name out of his book. "They're composed of the demons we fought earlier in the week. I'm sure you remember them."

"Tricky little bastards they were," Xander replied. Giles shot him a look, ignoring his statement, and continuing with his explanation.

"The Sisterhood is a cult devoted to bringing out the end of the world. Though we defeated a great number of them, I believe many more will be arriving," Giles said, sitting down at the table with the group of teenagers. Giles stopped for a moment, looking at the faces of the people gathered around him. He knew many adults that would have fainted with fear at the possibility of the end of the world. Everyday, he placed an enormous amount of responsibility on the Scoobies' shoulders, expecting them to come through and stop terrible things from happening. Each time, they succeeded admirably. Giles was proud of them. He had stopped viewing them as high school students a long time ago and more as allies in the quest to stop the forces of darkness.

"How do they plan to do all this?" Cordelia asked.

Giles slid his glasses off and laid them on the table, pinching the bridge of his nose with his fingers. His actions did nothing to reassure the group seated before him. "They intend to open the Hellmouth," Giles replied, much to the dismay of everyone there.

"As in the Hellmouth that's sitting about twenty feet over that way?" Willow asked nervously, pointing in the general direction of the stacks.

"Precisely," Giles responded.

"Anyone not feel like sitting here anymore?" Xander asked, raising his hand. The others all raised their hands nervously.

"How about a change of location, then?" Giles asked. They gathered their stuff, quickly exiting the library, and moving out onto the quad. The sun was shining down, lighting up the grass in a brilliant display of green. Just seconds ago, they had been talking about the end of the world in the dusty library, but now that they were outside in the sunshine, they all felt a little bit better.

"So when is all this supposed to happen?" Faith asked as they settled down on the grass. She sat in front of Xander, as he leaned against a tree. Leaning back against his chest, she smiled when he wrapped his arms around her. She could see Cordelia snickering off to the side and quickly punched her in the arm.

"Ow," Cordy complained, rubbing her arm.

"I didn't even hit you that hard," Faith replied.

"You're still a slayer though," Cordy pointed out.

"And what, you're just a weak, pathetic, normal human being?" Faith asked jokingly. Cordelia shot her a glare.

"No, I'm an athletic, strong, empowered woman. But it still hurt," she added, muttering to herself. Faith smiled and she could hear Xander quietly chuckling behind her.

"Let's try to focus, if we could," Giles admonished them lightly. Though he was eager to continue with their discussion, he also knew that the others needed to be able to take a few moments to laugh with each other. It helped to keep them from going crazy with the stress of their lives.

"Sure," Cordelia replied. "Back on track."

"Regarding your question," Giles said, looking over at Faith, "unfortunately, I don't know when it's supposed to happen."

"Very helpful," Xander commented.

"I know that it will happen soon," Giles continued, ignoring the boy again, "but I haven't been able to pin down an exact date."

"So the Hellmouth is going to open, then what?" Oz asked, finally contributing to the conversation.

"Do you remember when you faced the Master?" Giles asked, looking over at Buffy. Buffy nodded, looking down at the ground.

"When I'm not having nightmares about showing up to class without knowing about some crazy, hard test with pencils that always seem to disappoint, I'm having nightmares about him," Buffy replied quietly. Willow reached over and pulled her friend into a hug.

"We'll figure it out, Buffy," Willow whispered into her ear. Buffy smiled and nodded gratefully. Pulling away, she muttered a quick 'thanks' before they turned their attention back to Giles.

"Essentially, the demons that occupy the Hellmouth will emerge into the library," Giles explained.

"You mean the tentacle looking things?" Xander asked.

"Yes," Giles answered, deciding that any technical explanation would simply confuse them.

"So, we have class," Buffy said, suddenly realizing that the quad had emptied of students. "But as soon as school is done, we're hitting research mode."

"Agreed," Giles said as the others gathered their things, preparing for class. Faith and Xander walked behind the others, as Faith did not actually have class, and Xander was never too eager to attend his.

"So, I figured out what can make me cool," Xander said.

"I thought we went over this," Faith groaned.

"We did," Xander replied. "But it just came to me."

"What just came to you?" Faith asked, deciding just to indulge Xander.

"My Uncle Rory," Xander said. "He has this awesome car."

"So?" Faith asked.

"So, it can be my thing," Xander responded. Faith stopped walking and looked over at him, amused.

"Your thing?" She asked, smiling as Xander continued rambling.

"Yeah, you know, my _thing_," he reiterated.

"Is that some kind of penis metaphor?" Faith asked, continuing walking. Xander blushed a deep red before trailing after her.

"No, it's not," Xander replied futilely. "It's my thing to be cool."

"Oh, I get it," Faith replied, smiling over at him. "So how are you getting your Uncle's car?"

"He's a drunk. Got one too many DUIs and can't drive for a while," Xander answered.

"Sounds like a winner," Faith commented.

"I know, doesn't he?" Xander said jokingly.

"That's cool though," Faith said, "sounds like most of my family."

"You know, we never really talk about your family," Xander said, broaching the subject that he knew Faith purposefully avoided. Faith looked down at the ground, but kept walking.

"I know," she said quietly. "It's just a lot to tell."

"And you're afraid, right?" Xander said, taking her hand in his own. Relief washed over his body when she did not pull away from him.

"Yeah," Faith replied. "I know, it's stupid. I'm a vampire slayer. I face worse things every day. But I can't face my past."

"It's not stupid, it's human," Xander responded.

"I just…," Faith trailed off. "I'm just afraid of what you'll think of me if I tell you."

Xander looked over at her, surprised. "Faith," he said, squeezing her hand, "I could never think less of you for anything."

"You know, Xan, after all of this end of the world stuff? We should have that first date, that we've never technically been on. And maybe I'll give you a glimpse of what Boston was like for me," Faith replied. Xander smiled and looked over at her.

"I'd like that a lot."


	44. The Zeppo P 2

The Quickening

Previously:

"You know, Xan, after all of this end of the world stuff? We should have that first date, that we've never technically been on. And maybe I'll give you a glimpse of what Boston was like for me," Faith replied. Xander smiled and looked over at her.

"I'd like that a lot."

Chapter Forty-Three:

"Faith!" Willow called as she watched the dark haired slayer walking down the hallway towards the library. Faith stopped and turned, waiting for the witch to catch up with her.

"What's up, Red?" Faith asked, continuing in her course. Willow fell into step with her.

"I just wanted to talk to you about something," Willow replied evasively.

"I'm all ears," Faith said, curious as to what Willow had on her mind. She and Willow had never been very good friends. In fact, Faith imagined that even with all of the time they spent together researching and fighting demons, she did not know the other girl at all. However, she was interested in getting to know Willow better. She seemed like a good friend to have and Faith was starting to learn that having people around was not as bad as she had previously thought.

"I wanted to talk to you about Xander," Willow clarified. "I've known Xander for a long time and I'm just concerned about his well being."

"Why?" Faith asked.

"Xander's very sensitive. When he falls for someone, he falls very hard. It seems that he's fallen for you. I just want to make sure you're not playing him," Willow said, summoning her courage, and turning to face the slayer walking next to her.

Faith remained silent for several long moments, staring deeply into Willow's eyes, and trying to determine what was really driving Willow to confront her about Xander. "You're into him, aren't you?" Faith finally responded, suddenly realizing that Willow's newfound concern did not originate from her desire to look out for Xander, but from her desire to be with Xander.

"No," Willow instantly replied, turning a deep shade of red. "Of course not. I'm with Oz, very happily with Oz," she reiterated. "But Xander's my best friend and I don't want to see him get hurt."

"You've got to be kidding me," Faith said, laughing humorlessly and shaking her head. "You know, Cordy said the same thing to me, but when she said it, she seemed a whole hell of a lot more sincere."

"What are you talking about?" Willow asked indignantly.

"You don't give a shit about Xander's well being. You're just trying to scare me off because you don't like the idea that you're best friend has someone else in his life now. I'm so terribly sorry that he can't devote every waking moment to you anymore, Red, but your jealousy isn't my problem," Faith replied, glaring at her for a moment before walking ahead of the witch.

"I'm not jealous of you," Willow said, catching up with the slayer. "Why should I be? You're one step away from being homeless. No one wants you here. Buffy only puts up with you because, with you around, she doesn't have to patrol all the time. Giles only puts up with you because it's his job. You barely have enough brain cells to rub together and you're a complete whore. Why in hell would I be jealous of you?" Willow replied, seething with anger and embarrassment at having been discovered.

"What did you just say to me?" Faith asked, spinning around to face her. "I must have heard you wrong because I'm damn sure that little Willow Rosenberg doesn't have the balls to say what I thought I heard."

"You heard me," Willow replied, stepping forward bravely.

"Okay, guys," Cordelia said, suddenly appearing out of the girl's bathroom. "Back off a little, huh?" She had opened the door, preparing to exit, when she heard Willow and Faith talking in the hallway. Deciding to eavesdrop, she lingered behind the partially closed door until she heard things starting to escalate.

"I don't know, C," Faith responded angrily, her fists balling up at her sides. "I really want to show this bitch who she's messing with," Faith spat.

"I get that," Cordy said, laying her hand on Faith's shoulder and whispering into her ear. "But if you beat the shit out of Willow in the middle of the hallway, you'll probably be arrested since, technically, you're not even supposed to be in the school. Plus, it'll piss Buffy, Xander, and all of the rest of them off beyond belief. Who do you think they'll believe when push comes to shove? You or her? She's been their friend far longer. Her word has a bit more weight. Trust me, I know. You and I are outsiders remember? We have to play the role."

Faith sighed and looked over at her friend. She knew Cordelia was right. However, she also knew that any other person would not get away with calling her a whore. She swallowed her boiling rage down, nearly choking on the horrific taste it left in her mouth. "Get out of here, Red," Faith growled, her eyes flashing as she regarded Willow. She could see fear on the witch's face for a moment before she pulled herself together, smiled politely, and walked away.

"She's got a lot of nerves," Cordy commented as Faith watched Willow walk away, barely restraining herself from chasing the other girl down the hallway.

"If that's what you want to call it," Faith replied, shaking her head angrily.

"Walk with me, yeah?" Cordy said, pulling Faith in the opposite direction. "What was she talking to you about anyway?"

"She was trying to give me the 'if you hurt Xander, I'll make you regret it' speech," Faith replied.

Cordy laughed as she linked her arm around Faith's arm to keep the dark haired slayer from straying as they walked. "I believe that for a second. Willow was jealous of me when I was dating Xander and she's jealous of you now that you are. It's ridiculous really. I mean, Oz is a great guy. I'd hate to see her mess things up with him. He deserves better."

"Just so long as she stays out of my way, everything'll be fine," Faith said.

"Well, don't worry," Cordy said confidently. "I'll keep you out of trouble. We outsiders have to stick together, yeah?"

…………………

The group met back in the library as dusk fell on Sunnydale. A full moon rose over the town. Faith walked into the library, watching as werewolf Oz paced in his cage, howling every once in a while. "He's wound up tonight, isn't he?" Faith commented. She smiled facetiously at Willow as the witch looked up at her. "I guess he hasn't been getting enough werewolf lovin'."

"And why are you still speaking?" Willow asked moodily, her eyes shifting back to the book in front of her.

"What's with those two?" Buffy asked Xander, noticing the tension between Faith and Willow.

"No idea," Xander replied, shrugging.

"Any news on the death cult?" Cordelia asked, walking in right behind Faith.

"The Council won't take my phone calls," Giles replied grumpily, emerging from his office. "Unfortunately, my resources are quite insufficient in this case. The Sisterhood of Jhe isn't very well documented. All we really know about them, thus far, is that they're a race of female demon warriors."

"Who apparently like to eat their foes," Buffy said, reading from her book.

"They couldn't have just been into mud wrestling or something?" Xander asked. Faith and Cordelia walked over to the main library table and sat, each grabbing a book to contribute to the research effort. Silence fell on the library as they read, interrupted occasionally by the sound of Oz banging on his cage.

"So, I'm think there's a more proactive way to handle this," Faith said suddenly, slamming her book closed and sliding it back across the table.

"What's that?" Willow sneered. Faith glared over at her before continuing.

"Why don't me and B check out Willy's? He's bound to have some kind of useful information. If not, it beats sitting around here doing nothing," Faith said to Giles. Giles nodded thoughtfully.

"I agree," he said. "Good thinking," he added, flashing her a smile. He too could feel the tension raging between Willow and Faith. Though he did not know why the two girls were at odds, he felt the need to reassure Faith.

"You ready, B?" Faith asked, rising to her feet. Buffy nodded eagerly, glad to be relieved of research duty.

"Let's hit the bar."


	45. The Zeppo P 3

The Quickening

Notes: Sorry for the delay. I've had crazy amounts of schoolwork. The semester is almost over, so the updates won't be as frequent. However, I should be updating at least twice a week.

Previously:

"Well, don't worry," Cordy said confidently. "I'll keep you out of trouble. We outsiders have to stick together, yeah?"

Chapter Forty-Four:

"Can we talk about something?" Faith asked as she and Xander walked through the halls of Sunnydale High. She and Buffy had just gotten back from Willy's. They had arrived only to discover Willy badly beaten. The Sisterhood of Jhe had come looking for Willy, as he was a major source of information in town. They wanted both Buffy and Angel, thus making Faith feel a bit left out that she did not even rate on the evil radar. However, Willy had been able to give them some useful information regarding when the Sisterhood intended to open the Hellmouth. Unfortunately, that information indicated that the Sisterhood wanted to open the Hellmouth that very night.

"Sure, what's up?" Xander asked curiously.

"It's Willow," Faith replied.

"What about her?" Xander asked.

"I think she's into you," Faith said. Xander nearly tripped over himself when his brain processed her words. Stopping, he turned to face her.

"No way," he responded.

"She pretty much told me so," Faith indicated.

"But she's been my best friend for a very long time. It's just wrong," Xander said.

"My opinion too," Faith said. "But it's going to be a problem."

"Why?" Xander asked.

"She's making it a problem. She basically threatened me earlier today. Willow may not be a very intimidating person, but there's something there. Something lurking beneath the surface. Maybe it's the magic, I don't know," Faith said.

"Willow wouldn't do anything," Xander reassured her.

"Either way," Faith said, "could you just talk to her? Getting bitched out in the halls isn't exactly my idea of fun, you know?"

Xander smiled and nodded. Reaching over, he grabbed her hand and gently squeezed it. "I'll straighten everything out," he said, leaning in and giving her a quick kiss on the lips. "You going to the library?" He asked.

"Yeah, Buffy and I are meeting there to report back to Giles about Willy's info," Faith replied.

"Okay, I'm gonna go talk to Willow right now," Xander said. "Don't worry about anything."

………………………….

"Hey, Will, can I talk to you for a minute?" Xander asked when he and Faith walked into the library. Willow, Buffy, Cordelia, and Giles were gathered around one of the library tables.

"Sure," Willow responded, smiling sweetly as Xander indicated that he and Willow should talk in the stacks. Willow rose to her feet and followed Xander. Faith watched them go, then looked over at Cordelia, who was watching her intently.

"Want me to follow them?" Cordelia whispered over to Faith when she sat down.

"Yeah," Faith replied. "Tell me what she says."

"Not a problem," Cordy said confidently, rising to her feet and following furtively following them. Cordy slipped into the stacks, positioning herself in the row across from Xander and Willow as they talked.

"So, Faith told me you confronted her today," Xander said, skipping any small talk. Willow looked up at him, wide-eyed for a moment, before recovering herself.

"Yeah, I just wanted to make sure she was serious with you. I don't want her to hurt you," Willow replied.

"I think I'm a pretty good judge of when I'm getting played," Xander answered.

"What about Cordelia?" Willow asked bitterly. "Was that when of your moments of better judgment?"

"You don't know anything about Cordelia and I," Xander responded. "In fact, I'd go as far to say that you don't really know anything about Cordelia. So I'd be careful how I talked about her if I were you."

"All I know, Xander, is that you keep hooking up with these people who are using you when there are people who care a great deal about you right in front of you," Willow said.

"Faith was right. I'll be damned. You are into me," Xander replied, suddenly realizing the desire that lie in Willow's eyes.

"Maybe I am," Willow said, stepping closer to Xander. "Is that so wrong?"

"We've been friends for a long time, Will. That's all we are," Xander replied.

"But we can be so much more than that," Willow responded. Before Xander knew what had happened, Willow's lips had crashed into his. He could feel her tongue slip into his mouth. Then he pushed her away.

"What the hell are you doing?" Xander asked, stepping back as if he had burned himself on a hot surface.

"Tell me you don't want this," Willow said. "I know you do. I can see it in your eyes."

"No, I don't," Xander stressed. "I'm with Faith. I want Faith. Willow, I'm in love with Faith. Not you."

Willow watched him for a moment, seeing the truth of his words in his eyes. Cordelia watched Willow's face fall for a moment, before she looked back at him with steely resolve in her eyes. "Remember this moment when Faith leaves you humiliated and broken like Cordelia did. Then you'll know what you just gave up."

"That's not gonna happen," Xander replied. "And maybe you should start thinking about what you have. Oz is a great guy. Don't ruin what you have with him. You'll regret it." Xander looked at her for a long moment before turning and walking out of the stacks, back into the library to rejoin his girlfriend.

"How'd it go?" Faith asked when Xander sat down.

"I'll tell you later," he replied. "But I don't think we'll have to worry about her anymore." Faith nodded, noting that Cordelia had yet to return. Perhaps everything had not gone as well as Xander imagined.

"That's some stunt you just pulled," Cordy said, stepping into view of Willow. Willow looked up at her, surprised.

"What are you doing here?" Willow asked.

"Eavesdropping, actually," Cordelia honestly replied.

"Why?" Willow asked, folding her arms across her chest and glaring at Cordelia to belie the fact that the other girl intimidated her greatly.

"I'm Faith's friend. Friend's look out for each other. I just wanted to make sure you weren't going to try anything with her boyfriend. Looks like my concerns were justified."

"Are you gonna tell her?" Willow asked, suddenly fearful that the younger slayer's anger would get the best of her.

"No," Cordy replied smugly, walking up to Willow. "I'm not going to tell her anything. I think I'll just handle this myself." Grabbing Willow by the collar of her shirt, Cordy slammed her against the book case behind her. It wobbled for a moment, creaking with age, before settling. "Stay away from Xander. Stay away from Faith. Me and Xander, we may not have been destined for anything other than a quick fling, but he and Faith are in it for the long haul. I can see it in their eyes. I'd hate to see something ruin that. Are we clear?" Cordy asked, her eyes flashing angrily. Willow audibly gulped nodded.

"Yeah, we're clear," she responded weakly. Cordy smiled, satisfied, and let go of the other girl.

"They'll be expecting us," she said, turning back toward the door to the library. "Take a minute to collect yourself. You look kinda pale."

…………………………..

"Do we really have to do this?" Buffy asked, holding the tranquilizer gun in her hands.

"We have to move Oz," Giles replied. "The demons are going to break through in the library. The last thing we need is a werewolf escaping and complicating matters."

"Just be careful with him," Willow pleaded with them from her place in Giles's office with Xander and Cordelia. Cordelia rolled her eyes.

"We will," Giles reassured her. "Alright, Faith. Open the cage door."

Faith nodded and quickly opened the cage door. Oz leaped out, straight at Buffy, who pulled the trigger on the tranquilizer gun. The dart lodged itself in the werewolf's shoulder. He stumbled back, but shook off the effects and charged again. "Another!" Faith yelled. Buffy shot the gun again and, this time, Oz went down.

"Come on, B," Faith said, picking up the werewolf by the legs. "Let's get him into the classroom." They were going to move Oz into a nearby classroom so that he would not be in the way when the fight started with the Sisterhood of Jhe.

"What's going on?" Angel asked, opening the door for the two slayers as they carried Oz out.

"We're moving Oz until this is over," Giles replied. "Is there any activity outside yet?"

"Yeah," Angel replied. "Demons are everywhere. They're incredibly restless. They know what's going down tonight." Buffy had gone to Angel's mansion as soon as she and Faith left Willy's. After warning Angel that the Sisterhood was after him, she instructed him to meet her at the library later that night.

Buffy and Faith dropped Oz by one of the classroom doors. "I don't think this is going to hold him," Buffy said reluctantly.

"Well, we gotta put him somewhere for now," Faith answered. "We'll get Xander to scout out a better place."

"Good plan," Buffy replied. Hoisting Oz up, they placed him as gently as they could in the classroom and closed the door behind them. "Let's just hope he doesn't wake up before then."

"What's the plan for all this anyway?" Faith asked as she and Buffy began walking back towards the library.

"Willow and Giles are going to perform a binding spell, which hopefully, will stop the Hellmouth from opening," Buffy answered.

"And if it doesn't?" Faith asked.

Buffy shrugged and replied, "the world ends?"


	46. The Zeppo P 4

The Quickening

Notes: Willowbabe – I don't personally use a Beta reader, nor do I know any. Sorry I couldn't be of more assistance. I hope you find one.

Previously:

"Willow and Giles are going to perform a binding spell, which hopefully, will stop the Hellmouth from opening," Buffy answered.

"And if it doesn't?" Faith asked.

Buffy shrugged and replied, "the world ends?"

Chapter Forty-Five:

Giles and Willow stood in the center of the library. They had drawn a mystical figure on the floor, but Faith could not understand what it meant. The furniture previously occupying the library floor had been cleared away, placed inside the cage where Oz had been held just a few minutes prior. Cordy, Buffy, Xander, Angel, and Faith stood in the back of the library, by the main doors. "We need you to do something," Faith said, suddenly turning towards Xander.

"What?" Xander asked, eager to help.

"The classroom we put Oz in isn't very secure," Buffy cut in. "We need you to find a new place to put him."

"That's it?" Xander asked, obviously disappointed. "I don't get to wield a fancy sword and kick some undead ass?"

"It's not always all it's cracked up to be, Xan," Faith said wearily. "If Oz gets out, we're gonna have a whole mess on our hands that we really don't need right now."

"So this is actually important?" Xander said, happy to be able to contribute in a proactive way for once. Usually, he went out and bought donuts and other snack foods for the team. Often, he wondered why they bothered to include him in things. He was not very good at fighting, he was not very good with weapons, and he was not very good with research. Unlike Willow, he could not read Latin or the other languages she seemed to master quite easily. Buffy and Faith were slayers. Even Oz was supernatural in his own right. Even though Cordy rarely did anything to contribute, no one questioned her presence at that moment, or decided to send her away, as the Scoobies had done to him in previous battles.

"Yeah, it's actually important," Faith said, smiling over at him. "Don't try to move Oz though. Just find us a place to put him. We sedated him, but it won't last for long."

"I got it. Scout a location. I'm all over it," Xander said, instantly out of the library and rushing down the hallway, mentally listing places to examine.

"Want a weapon?" Faith asked, looking over at Cordy. The taller girl seemed a bit nervous, as if she could sense that something major was about to happen in that very room. Before they had removed the furniture from the library floor, they had cleared some weapons out of the cage, which were now stacked by the checkout counter.

"Yeah, something sharp might be kinda nice," Cordy said as confidently as she could, even though she was terrified. It never got any easier battling evil. Though she had seen numerous vampires and demons, the pit of her stomach always quaked with fear when the time came for action.

"Not a problem," Faith said, smiling reassuringly at the other girl. Cordy smiled back, grateful that Faith understood her well enough to know that she was afraid, but also that she would not want anyone else to know.

"Everything's gonna be okay," Angel whispered over to Cordelia once Faith had moved over to the checkout counter to procure a weapon. Cordy looked over at him in surprise.

"I know," Cordy said, looking up into his deep, soulful eyes. She could see her own reflective staring back at her. For a moment, she though she saw a much older person reflected in his eyes – someone who had seen great evil and had survived, a strong woman with infinite possibility. Then the image faded and she saw a young, high school girl looking nervously up into the eyes of a man she barely knew, yet fought beside frequently.

"Good. But just in case you had any doubts…you're stronger than you think, Cordelia," Angel said honestly. Then he shifted his gaze back to the front of the room, where Giles had just finished lighting the last candle.

"Here," Faith said, appearing beside Cordy again. "Thought this might come in handy."

Cordy reached over and took the battle-axe out of Faith's hands. "I don't really know how to use this," she stated, holding the heavy weapon in her hands. Though she thought it should feel out of place, it did not.

"It's easy," Faith instructed, "you just swing it at the bad things that come near you."

"I think I can handle that," Cordy replied, looking over at Faith with laughter in her eyes. "These demons won't even know what hit them between me and you."

"We're about to start," Willow said, looking back at the group behind her. "A little silence might be nice."

"Earth…wind…fire…and rain. Linger four gods, we implore you. Defend us, immediately after, I will release you," Giles spoke in Latin, his voice booming through the library. The group standing in the back immediately fell silent, awed by the strength and power in his voice.

Suddenly, the earth began to quake. Faith could feel something rising up from underground. Her head pounded from her slayer senses struggling with her to fight or flee. She knew the evil that was about to rise out of the ground. It was written in the blood of every slayer. Her blood was urging her to move forward and meet her foe head on. But her brain was telling to run. The evil was too great. Buffy's voice ripped through her head suddenly and she focused on the words.

"I thought this spell was supposed to stop the Hellmouth from opening!" Buffy shouted over the thunder of the library floor suddenly splitting up the middle. Giles and Willow dove out of the way, into the group standing by the library doors.

"It was," Giles said. "I didn't get a chance to finish it. It started too soon."

"So what do we do now?" Cordy asked.

"Fight," Angel replied solemnly.

"I'm ready," Faith said, gripping her sword intently. Buffy had a sword similar to hers. Faith looked over at her and their eyes met. For a moment, Faith saw the recognition she had always wanted to see in her sister slayer's eyes. Buffy was no longer embarrassed to go into combat with her. Instead, Buffy looked at her as an equal, a fellow warrior in the fight against evil.

"Me too," Buffy said quietly. Suddenly, the library floor exploded, pieces of tile flying through the air. The group collectively ducked, shielding their heads from the rubble. The dust cleared and several large tentacles shot out of the ground, wriggling across the floor and groping for live flesh to cling to and devour.

"That's pretty creepy," Willow muttered breathlessly. For all but Buffy, it was their first glimpse of what lived in the Hellmouth. The beast repulsed Faith, yet, some part of her found beauty in it. Faith sought out Buffy's eyes again and with a swift nod, both girls lifted their swords and charged at the creature emerging from the ground.

……………………………

Xander slowly opened the door to the boiler room. A few moments ago, the ground had suddenly started shaking. He knew that things were about to get messy in the library. Part of him wanted to go back and join his friends. He knew that he would not be of much use, but he needed to know that they were alright. He needed to be able to watch over them. However, he also had been given a task. He did not want to give up without completing it. Moving inside the dark room, he stumbled blindly for several long seconds until his fingers hit a light switch. A pale, dull light spread over the room when he flipped the switch. A single, bare bulb hung in the middle of the boiler room. Xander's eyes adjusted in the dark and he moved forward.

"This seems like a good place," he said aloud. "Nice, heavy door. No way Oz could get out of here." Looking around one last time, he was about to turn to head back to the library when he saw a blinking, red light out of the corner of his eye. "What the hell is that?" He asked himself as he moved further into the room. The light came into view and suddenly Xander realized what he was looking at.

"Oh shit," he said fearfully, "it's a bomb."


	47. The Zeppo finale

The Quickening

Previously:

"This seems like a good place," he said aloud. "Nice, heavy door. No way Oz could get out of here." Looking around one last time, he was about to turn to head back to the library when he saw a blinking, red light out of the corner of his eye. "What the hell is that?" He asked himself as he moved further into the room. The light came into view and suddenly Xander realized what he was looking at.

"Oh shit," he said fearfully, "it's a bomb."

Chapter Forty-Six:

The library doors suddenly burst off their hinges, flying out into the hallway of Sunnydale High. Immediately following them, Buffy flew through the air, slamming into the wall opposite of the library. Sliding down to the floor, she blinked the cobwebs from her eyes and struggled to rise to her feet.

"That thing can't leave the library, Faith!" Buffy yelled, bracing herself with one hand on the wall, while waiting for her legs to stop wobbling.

"All over it, B!" Faith yelled back. Once Buffy had regained her sense of composure, she picked her sword up off the floor, gripped it tightly in her hand, and charged into the library. The piercing screams of the monster invading the library resounded down the hallways of the high school.

"Is this how things are supposed to be going?" Cordy asked, pausing after cutting off one of the tentacles of the monster to wipe the sweat from her forehead.

"Well, I'm not entirely sure," Faith said, pausing as well. "I don't think we're winning."

"Neither do I," Cordy said wearily. "But I don't think it's winning either."

"Guys? What're you doing?" Buffy asked, stopping next to them.

"Taking a breather," Faith replied, resting her hands on the end of her sword.

"There's still a monster to kill," Buffy pointed out.

"It'll be there when we're done," Cordy responded matter-of-factly.

"You guys are going to be the end of the world," Buffy said, shaking her head. Then, lifting her sword, she ran forward, back into the battle.

"A little help here!" Willow yelled over the noise of Buffy's sword striking the flesh of the creature and its wail of pain. She and Giles were still trying to complete the spell that they had begun before the creature emerged from the ground.

"That's our cue," Faith replied, lifting her sword again.

"Damn," Cordy responded. "And you do this on a daily basis."

"It's the job," Faith said.

"Go for the heart," Buffy yelled, capturing their attention. "It's the weakest there."

"Isn't everything," Faith muttered.

………………….

"Bomb in the basement," Xander muttered to himself. "There's a bomb in the basement. Everyone else but me is upstairs fighting to prevent the world from ending. I'm the only person who can fix this," Xander said. "I'm the last person in the world who should have to handle this. I know nothing about bombs. I know nothing about electronics. I know nothing about anything."

Kneeling down beside the bomb, Xander ran his hand through his hair and sighed. Several different color wires were connected to the bomb. Xander knew from some of the late night movies he had watched, after waking up in the middle of the night with nightmares of the beatings his father had given him, that he had to pull one of those wires to make the bomb stop ticking. The characters in the movies had always made it looked so easy. They seemed to know exactly what wire to pull. However, as Xander stared down at the bomb, he had no idea what wire to pull.

Closing his eyes, he let his hand hover over the wires. "Okay, maybe I just know what wire to pull," he said. "Some how, magically, I'll psychically know that I should pull the green wire, or something."

"Okay, it's counting down. It's reached ten. I'm so screwed. What the hell wire do I pull?" He yelled in frustration. There were four wires. One of the wires was green, one was blue, one was red, and one was white.

"Green…blue….red….and white," Xander said, sitting down on the floor in front of the bomb and resting his hand in his hands.

"It's gotta be this one," he muttered to himself, moving his hand over one of the wires.

……………………

"Get into position!" Giles yelled. Instantly, Buffy somersaulted over the creature, landing above it on the stairs that led to the stacks. Angel, Cordelia, and Faith stepped in front of the library doors to stop the creature from exiting, should it decide that was the best course of action. Willow moved over to Giles, prepared to recite the rest of the binding spell in synch with him, or take it over should he falter.

"All things…the vessel….of truth," Giles recited in Latin. "Now!" He yelled up to Buffy. Buffy, hearing his call, lifted her sword high over her head. Mustering her strength, she brought the sword down, striking the creature in every place she could. Angel, Faith, and Cordelia slowly moved forward, hacking as they went, and attempting to reach the creature's center.

The Hellmouth groaned, closing in on itself as the binding spell took effect. The creature wailed, sensing its doom. Slithering back down into the Hellmouth, the last of its tentacles disappeared into the cracks in the library floor. Then they too slipped closed, leaving only a thin line running from the center of the library to the library doors. "Is it over?" Cordy asked, as the rumbling and shaking stopped. The ground stilled and a quiet fell over the library. Faith looked around, suspicious, but relieved. Her ears were ringing from the sounds the creature had made.

"I think so," Giles said. Faith knelt down, placing the palm of her hand on the floor. She could feel the earth slightly trembling, but it was simply the aftershock of the strain of the Hellmouth breaking open.

"It's over," Faith whispered.

"Good," Buffy said, tossing her sword onto the ground and sitting down on the stairs that led to the stacks. "I wonder where Xander got to," she said, suddenly noticing that he had never returned.

………………….

Grabbing the green wire, he closed his eyes, muttered a quick prayer, and yanked. The wire ripped loose from the bomb and the timer stopped, with only one second remaining. Opening his eyes, Xander looked down at the bomb and breathed a heavy sigh of relief. "For once in my life, I actually guessed right," he said to himself. "It's a miracle. Why couldn't I have done that on my SATs?"

Rising to his feet, he wiped his sweaty palms on his jeans. Suddenly, he noticed that the earth had stopped shaking. He could no longer hear the sounds of battle above him. Racing out of the boiler room, he felt his heart pounding in his chest. The battle was over. He hoped that all of his friends were still alive and well. Mostly, however, he was worried about Faith. She gave her all in every battle she fought. Typically, she did not stop to think about the ramifications of her actions. He knew one day that would cost her everything. Running down the hallway, he stopped in front of the library doors and took a deep breath. Then he pushed them open and walked inside.

The others were gathered around the center of the library. He could tell that they were banged up, but they were all still alive. "Hey," he said. "Everything go as planned?"

"Absolutely," Giles replied. "Except for the part where the Hellmouth actually opened. That wasn't particularly part of the plan."

"But it's closed now though," Cordy said. "And I for one am glad."

"Me too," Buffy said.

"Where have you been?" Willow asked, obviously concerned. Faith shot her a glance, which Willow either ignored or did not notice.

"In the boiler room," Xander replied.

"What were you doing there?" Faith asked, looking back at him.

"Just looking for a place for Oz, like you guys told me to," Xander replied shrugging. Though he would have liked to tell them all about his victory over the bomb, he kept his mouth shut. Smiling, he walked over to Faith and slung his arm around her shoulders. "Let's get out of here?" He asked, whispering in her ear. Faith nodded.

"See you guys tomorrow," she said, handing her sword to Cordelia and winking. Xander and Faith walked out of the library, hand in hand. "We going to your place?"

"Yeah," Xander said. The others had enough to worry about without having to deal with bombs. For once, he wanted to be the unsung hero, whose good deeds went without reward, but who knew, deep inside, that he had done more for the world than anyone would ever know. He knew, in his heart, that all the praise in the world would not have felt as good as the feeling of pride he carried, knowing that he had saved his friends. He did not need to save the world. He was content merely saving the people that he loved.

They reached Xander's apartment after a short walk. "You're probably tired, huh? All that fighting," Xander said as he and Faith wandered into his bedroom. Faith looked up at him, a strange glint in her eyes. Then she smiled and stepped forward, resting her hands on his shoulders.

"Not really that tired," she replied, leaning forward and running her tongue along his bottom lip. She pulled back when he tried to kiss her, teasing him.

"Oh yeah?" He asked, smiling at her games.

"Yeah," she replied. Her face suddenly grew serious as she gazed up at him. He could see trepidation in her eyes. "Xander," she said, her voice low.

"What is it?" He asked.

"I want you to make love to me," she whispered. Xander smiled and brushed a strand of her hair out of her eyes. Nodding, he closed his bedroom door and led her over to his bed. His heart was pounding in his chest and as he looked at Faith, he realized that he had never seen anyone more beautiful than she.

"Faith," he said, touching the side of her face, "I love you."

Faith looked up at him, fear paralyzing her for a moment, before she heatedly pressed her lips against his. When she pulled away, she buried her face against his neck. He could feel her lips move and heard her whisper the words he longed to hear, "I love you too."


	48. The Light and the Dark

The Quickening

Notes: Thanks for the reviews. Keep them coming.

Previously:

"Faith," he said, touching the side of her face, "I love you."

Faith looked up at him, fear paralyzing her for a moment, before she heatedly pressed her lips against his. When she pulled away, she buried her face against his neck. He could feel her lips move and heard her whisper the words he longed to hear, "I love you too."

Chapter Forty-Seven:

Faith awoke with a stream of sunlight dancing upon her face. Opening her eyes, she blinked several times to clear the sleep from her vision. Instantly, she knew that she was in Xander's apartment. The events of the preceding night flooded back into her memory. They had fought to close the Hellmouth and succeeded, thus preventing yet another apocalypse from occurring in Sunnydale. Then she and Xander had returned to his apartment. Smiling, Faith thought of the events that followed their return. She had never made love to anyone, though she had been intimate with many other people. Even then, she would not have called her relationship with those people 'intimate.' Instead, she had barely known those people. Some had been friends of hers, who crossed the boundaries of friendship, with or without her consent.

Her relationship with Xander, however, was quite different. Somehow, Xander had infiltrated her heart, when no other person had been able to do so. She felt him stir beside her. Turning, he pressed his body against hers, resting his head against the nape of her neck. Unconsciously, he wrapped his arm around her stomach. Faith could tell that he was still asleep. His breath was even and deep. Based on the position of the sun, Faith imagined that it was only a little after dawn. The sun had risen again, thanks to her and the other Scoobies. Faith had not known many moments of pride in her life, mostly humiliation and defeat. However, as she allowed the warm sunlight to caress her face, she closed her eyes, and indulged in a quiet moment of satisfaction.

The world would never know how many times it had come into peril, only to be rescued, sometimes by the most unlikely of people. Faith thought back to the fight. A group of teenagers had saved the world. She, a runaway from Boston with no family, and Buffy, an ex-cheerleader from Los Angeles, who had been branded a bad seed because she cared enough to put her duty above her desires, were charged with the sacred mission of protecting the world. By all rights, they should have been like the rest of the world, ignorant of the things that went bump in the night. However, they were not able to have normal lives, like other people their age. Though Buffy fought against her calling, Faith knew that she took it incredibly seriously.

Faith, however, lived for her calling. Her life before becoming a slayer had been a series of bad memories, of times she wished that she could forget. However, once she became a slayer, she discovered a control, a power, that she had never known. No longer could her mother, or her mother's dealers, push her around, or have their way with her. She learned that she could fight back. Instead of taking what life gave her and accepting it with defeat, she could mold life into whatever she wanted. However, she did not know what she wanted from life. She spent a long time squandering the newfound power she possessed, until Kate arrived in Boston and taught her how to harness her skills. She became bent on one thing – destroying everything evil that stood in her way.

However, she did not take to her calling so fiercely out of a noble or ethical disposition. Instead, she fought against the powers of darkness to fight against her very soul. She knew that she had both light and dark inside of herself. She could feel each power vying for control every day. She imagined that the darkness was something that she had inherited from her parents. They both turned to vices and committed evil deeds to satisfy some desire in their hearts. Faith could feel that same desire in her own heart. It was the desire to lose herself, to numb the pain she felt by letting everything fall away until only the blackness of her being remained.

Faith could feel that darkness less and less. When she first arrived in Sunnydale, she thought that it might consume her. Now, however, things were quite different. She had a home now and someone to look after her. Giles loved her very much; she could see it in his eyes. He viewed her as the daughter that he never had and he treated her very much like his own. For that, Faith was eternally grateful. She had learned to let other people in as well. Sunnydale provided a great opportunity for friendship. Though in the past, she had not capitalized on such opportunities, now, she very must desired to do so. Cordelia, for one, was turning out to be quite a loyal and devoted friend – one that Faith was proud to have on her side.

However, a home, a guardian, and friends were not all that lessened the hold of darkness on her heart. She had found something that she did not expect that she would ever find – love. Xander had given her his love, and despite herself, she found herself doing the same. She did not think that she could ever love anyone, not after the way she had been used and abused in Boston. However, she wanted to love Xander. After fighting the feeling for several months, she finally gave into it and accepted it. When she had confessed her feelings to him the night before, she felt as if she had finally crossed over the threshold into light. The darkness was now only a veiled memory, dispelled by dawn.

"Morning," Faith heard Xander mumbled against her neck as he awoke. Faith smiled and lifted his hand to her lips, kissing his knuckles gently.

"Morning," she replied. "What time is it?"

Xander turned and looked back at the clock. "Around seven. I don't have to be at school for another hour or so," he said, snuggling back down into the warmth of her neck. "I say we just stay here all day anyway."

"Yeah?" Faith responded, liking that plan as well. "It's not like we don't deserve a break or anything. After all, we did save the world last night."

"Exactly," Xander agreed. "I say we sleep in. I think the Powers that Be will understand."

"And hopefully your principal will too," Faith replied, laughing when Xander groaned.

"I don't think that man understands anything," he said, propping himself up on his elbow. Faith turned so that she was facing him. The sunlight hit her back and, instantly, she felt warmth spreading through her body. Xander ran his hand up her arm and tingles shot through her skin.

"I don't think I ever want to leave," Faith whispered suddenly, looking deep into his eyes. Xander smiled and pressed his lips against her forehead, willing her to feel all of the love he had to give her.

"Neither do I."

…………………………….

Alan Finch shut his office door behind him and leaned against it wearily. He had spent the past several weeks gathering information on the Mayor, in order to present it to the slayers. His task was almost complete. Every day that he grew closer to betraying his boss, his anxiety increased. Each visit his made to the Mayor's office, he felt as if Wilkins could see through him, to his intentions. He knew that the Mayor would have him killed if he ever became aware of Alan's plan to reveal him to the slayers. He could only imagine the horrible pain and death that the Mayor would inflict upon him.

However, he did not wish to think about such things. Instead, he consoled himself with the knowledge that he was taking a stand for once in his life. Instead of letting everyone trample over him, as he had always done, he was making a move. He had never been an incredibly moral man. He simply did what society told him was right and never questioned anything. Nothing seemed to shock him too greatly. However, he knew that what the Mayor had planned was morally corrupt. The Mayor would cause the deaths of a great many people before the end, deaths that Alan believed that he could prevent. He would do everything in his power to see that every possible person could be spared.

According to the Mayor's plans, the dedication was rapidly approaching. Alan was not entirely sure what that meant, but he knew, in the end, that the Mayor was going to ascend into the demon he truly was under the guise of humanity. Alan needed to give the information he had to the slayers soon. Moving over to his desk, he grabbed a manila folder out of the top, left hand, locked drawer. Inside of that folder was everything he knew, laid out in perfect detail. It was not safe to leave the folder in his office anymore. He had to take it with him. Putting the folder in his brief case, he closed it tight and locked it. Then he exited his office. He had spent the entire night there, researching what the Mayor had planned. The sun had just risen a few minutes ago. It was time for him to leave. If everything went according to plan, he would never come back.


	49. Hero

The Quickening

Previously: 

Putting the folder in his brief case, Alan closed it tight and locked it. Then he exited his office. He had spent the entire night there, researching what the Mayor had planned. The sun had just risen a few minutes ago. It was time for him to leave. If everything went according to plan, he would never come back.

Chapter Forty-Eight: 

"Where are we going?" Faith asked for the third time in nearly as many seconds. Xander simply smiled to himself and shook his head.

"No, I'm not going to tell you. It wouldn't be a surprise if I told you," he said, quite amused at Faith's insistence.

"I'll still act surprised," Faith promised.

"It wouldn't be the same," Xander insisted. "Besides, I told you that I'd take you out on an official date and I never did. Well, this is it. Yeah, it's a little late, but I want it to be special. So just relax."

"Fine," Faith said grumpily, although Xander knew that her tone was simply a last stitch effort at trying to persuade him to cave in and tell her their destination. Xander had arrived at Giles's apartment earlier that afternoon with the keys to his Uncle's convertible and a black, satin blindfold. He told her that he had made special arrangements for them for that afternoon and that she would be required to wear the blindfold until they reached their destination. Faith, however, was not too keen on the blindfold plan. Unfortunately, she could not seem to see through the material.

"You'll like this, I promise. It might be a bit corny, but you'll like it," Xander said, reaching over and intertwining his fingers with hers. He felt Faith's muscles relax and she leaned back in the seat, letting the wind blow through her hair and run its chill fingers down her face.

"We're not in Sunnydale anymore," Faith said suddenly.

"Nope, crossed the town line a few minutes ago. How did you know that?" Xander asked, looking over at her curiously.

"I can't feel it anymore," Faith replied.

"Feel what?"

"The Hellmouth. As soon as I stepped foot into Sunnydale the first time, I felt it. I had never felt anything so evil before. Ever since I've been there, it's been like static ringing in my ears. I could always feel it, but I got used to after a while. I just noticed that I couldn't feel it anymore," Faith explained.

"It must be tough," Xander commented.

"What?" Faith asked, turning her head to look over at him, even though she could not see him through the blindfold.

"Always being able to feel so much evil, but never being able to get rid of it all. Don't get me wrong; I know that you and Buffy do a lot. But you can kill every vampire you can find every night and they still keep coming," Xander said.

"That's what being a slayer is," Faith replied. "It's doing your job even though you know, in the end, it doesn't make much of a difference. The demons still come. Slayer follows slayer in an endless line, each fighting for the same thing, but never getting any closer to it. But I guess it creates a sort of balance," Faith said, displaying more of an understanding of her calling than she had since arriving in Sunnydale.

"Well, maybe one day we'll get the upper hand," Xander said hopefully. Faith smiled a little. She liked that Xander believed that they could change the fate of the world, that what they did really mattered in the face of time. Faith had her own doubts about whether her actions would ever be remembered, or if the slow crawl of years would wipe out any memory that a vampire slayer named Faith ever existed. Moreover, she doubted if her actions helped to curb the tide of evil. Sometimes it seemed that there was so much evil in the world that no good could possibly exist. But then Faith would look around and see little things – strangers smiling at each other on the street, the look of love in a little girl's eyes when she looked at her mother, and the careless abandon with which people gave their lives simply to help others. Then she remembered that good still existed in the world and that her actions did matter, even if no one remembered them after she was gone.

"I hope so," Faith replied. "So how much longer is it anyway?"

Xander smiled. "Not too far. We're almost there," he said.

"You seem pretty happy with yourself, Xan," Faith commented, noting the overtly confident tone in his voice.

"Well, I may not be the best boyfriend in the world. But I think for once, I got something right," Xander replied. Then he pulled the car off to the side of the road. Shutting off the engine, he hopped out of the car and opened the passenger's side door for Faith. "My lady," he said, offering her his hand. He could tell that Faith had rolled her eyes, even though she was wearing the blindfold.

"Can I take this thing off now?" Faith asked, motioning towards the cloth wrapped around her eyes,

"Not yet," Xander said. "We've got a short distance to walk. No peeking either," he warned.

"So help me…. if I fall," Faith started. Xander linked his arm with hers and led her down a narrow, dirt path.

"Don't worry," he said. "I've got you."

"I know," Faith replied.

Xander smiled a little and concentrated on leading her down the path without letting her stumble. Finally, the trees opened up into a clearing. In the clearing, rolling, green grass sprawled, dotted with yellow, dandelion flowers. In the middle of the meadow, a picnic blanket had been spread. Upon it, a picnic basket rested and rose petals were casually, yet carefully, strewn. Xander led her right to the edge of the blanket and then stopped. "Okay, I'm going to take the blindfold off now," Xander said as he reached up and gently slid his fingers underneath the fabric.

"Where are we?" Faith asked as the bright sunshine temporarily blinded her.

"Just a little place I found," Xander replied. Faith blinked several times before her eyes adjusted to the light and she looked around.

"Holy shit," Faith said, once she saw the picnic blanket laid out before her. "You did all this?"

"Yep," Xander responded simply. Faith turned to face him with the brightest smile on her face that he had ever seen. Throwing her arms around his neck, she leaned in and kissed him passionately.

"Thank you so much."

………………………….

"Well, you've been feeling pretty good about yourself, haven't you, hero?" The voice asked, pulling Faith further and further into her nightmare.

"Leave me alone," Faith said wearily. Opening her eyes, she found herself staring up at an unfamiliar ceiling. A large crack ran down the middle, a moldy, yellow color that reminded her of stale urine. Then it came back to her. "I remember this place," she said, suddenly sitting up. She was back in her Boston apartment, staring up at the ceiling in the living room, where she lay on her makeshift bed. Whenever she could not sleep, she stared up at the ceiling, letting her eyes smear until she thought she could see a happier life playing out on the plaster.

"Save the world once and all of the sudden you think you're better than everyone else," the voice continued.

"I don't think that," Faith shot back angrily.

"Yes, you do. Buffy doesn't seem so noble anymore, does she? You can see the cracks now. She's like a sculpture that's slowly breaking over time. Or maybe, that's you," the voice said mockingly. "Maybe you're the one that's cracking. You look in the mirror and everything looks perfect, but if you look a little closer, you'd see just how cracked up and broken you are."

"I know how broken I am," Faith replied. "I don't need you to tell me that."

"What's that smell?" The voice asked. Faith threw the blankets off her body and moved closer to the shadows, from where the voice was emanating. She could see the outline of someone sitting in a chair in the corner. It was where her mother's drug dealers would sit while they drew lines of coke on the coffee table.

"Sex and stale liquor," Faith replied without thinking. "Why am I back here?" Faith asked, looking around the apartment, a chill of fear creeping up her spine.

"Don't worry, no one's here. It's just you and me," the voice said. Suddenly, Faith recognized it.

"I don't want to see you," Faith said, turning away. "I don't ever want to see you again. Not after that night."

"Yes, I imagine that night must have been very traumatic for your young mind," the first Evil sneered through the voice of Faith's mother.

"Wake up," Faith whispered to herself, gripping the sides of her face tightly with her hands. "Wake up."

"Doesn't quite work that way," the voice said. "But nice try."

"What do you want from me?" Faith asked, sliding to the ground with her back against the wall.

"Look at me," the voice replied. Faith could feel the shadowy presence kneel in front of her.

"No," Faith said, her chin pressing against her chest and her eyes shut.

"Just look at me and I'll go away," the voice said. Faith took several deep breaths before raising her head. Her eyes were still closed, but she could feel someone in front of her. Slowly opening her eyes, she looked into her mother's face. Blood ran down the sides of her face, part of her skull blown off by a shotgun shell. Her mother's sad eyes stared back at her, boring holes into her soul. She could smell the thick smoke from the bullet lodged in her head. The acidic taste of bile crept up in her throat and she wanted to look away, but she could not.

"You think you're such a hero, don't you little Faithy. But you couldn't save me, could you? You can't save anyone. Not even yourself."


	50. Before the Fall

The Quickening

Previously:

"Just look at me and I'll go away," the voice said. "You think you're such a hero, don't you little Faithy. But you couldn't save me, could you? You can't save anyone. Not even yourself."

Chapter Forty-Nine:

Faith watched as Willow and Buffy thumbed through some early admissions packets and college brochures. For a moment, she felt jealous of them. They had a future that she would never have – college life. She had never liked school, mostly because there were too many rules she had to follow, but she had been good at her studies. She had maintained good grades, despite her tumultuous home life. Though school provided her with a safe place for several hours during the day, she never felt like she belonged there. Even now, as she sat with her friends on some benches outside the cafeteria, she still felt as though she did not belong. She was an outsider looking in and part of her wanted to be among them, while another part wanted to run.

"Depressing isn't it?" Cordelia asked, leaning over and speaking lowly, so that the others would not hear here.

"How do you mean?" Faith asked, looking over at her.

"Sitting here and watching them gush over their bright futures. All of those brochures hold the promise of some other life that we'll never know," Cordy said.

"What're you talking about? You're going to college, aren't you?" Faith asked.

"I don't think that's in my cards," Cordy said, her eyes distant. Then they snapped back into focus and she smiled. "But, it's not in your cards either, is it?"

"I doubt it," Faith replied. "Seeing as how you need a high school diploma for that."

"Do you ever wonder what's going to happen to us after graduation?" Cordy asked suddenly. "I try to think about the future sometimes, but it all seems to come to the same conclusion."

"What conclusion is that?" Faith asked, dreading what Cordelia was going to say, fearing that it was the same conclusion that haunted her visions of the future.

"Emptiness and loneliness," Cordy said, her voice a soft, rasping whisper. "Sometimes I think that this is the pinnacle of my life. That thought scares me beyond any demon that Hell could conjure up."

"What are your plans for after graduation?" Faith asked, her voice detached. Cordelia looked over at her. She knew that Faith feared the same thing, only that Faith would not admit it aloud. Cordelia could practically see the walls behind Faith's eyes and she smiled sadly.

"I was thinking of going to Los Angeles," Cordy replied. "Though I might try acting. If that doesn't work, I can always come back here."

"Want to see your name in lights, huh?" Faith said jokingly.

"Would be nice," Cordy admitted.

"So what's really going on?" Faith asked suddenly, catching Cordelia by surprise. Cordy looked over at her and Faith smirked. "Like I believe for a second that you're not going to college because you _really_ just want to act."

"What do you want me to say?" Cordy asked, looking away.

"How about the truth?" Faith said, her voice commanding Cordelia's attention.

"The truth," Cordelia said, sighing. "The truth is a long story that ends up with my family being broke."

"Your parents can't afford to send you to college anymore," Faith concluded.

"They didn't have any kind of fund set up because they just assumed that the money would always be there. Turns out that it isn't. I get decent grades, but nothing good enough to get scholarship money," Cordy said.

"What about cheerleading?" Faith asked.

"Cheerleading is a very competitive sport," Cordy replied, and then added when she saw the look on Faith's face, "don't laugh."

"Fair enough," Faith responded, correctly choosing not to contradict her friend.

"What're you going to do?" Cordy asked. "I mean, I know you're not in school or anything. But do you have any plans?"

"I never really thought about it," Faith answered. "I'm a vampire slayer. My Watcher didn't care if I went to school or not. She knew that my training was more important. If it was just me, it might be. But with Buffy here, there isn't as much pressure to be perfect. There are two slayers to handle things now. I guess that leaves me some room to plan some kind of future. But I never really wanted to."

"Not until now," Cordy finished, looking over at Xander. "You really fell hard for him, didn't you?"

"Is it that obvious?" Faith asked, rolling her eyes. "I never thought that I would fall for anyone. But then he just showed up. I don't know. Now I think about the future and I want to have one."

"There's always an illustrious career at the Double Meat Palace," Cordelia joked.

"Don't even say that," Faith warned jokingly. "It might actually come true."

"Aren't we a pair, huh?" Cordy said. "A vampire slayer and an incredibly fashionable cheerleading goddess and we've got absolutely nothing to show for it."

"Just take a look at me," Xander's said, inadvertently drawing the girls' attention, "right now I'm torn between the fast-growing fields of appliance repair and motel management. Of course, I'm still waiting to hear back from the Corn-dog Emporium." Xander crossed his fingers hopefully as the others laughed around him. Cordelia turned to look at Faith.

"Well, at least we're not as bad off as him," she said, then caught herself. "But then, you are dating him. Good luck with that," she said, winking. Faith sighed dramatically and rested her head in her hands.

"I'm so screwed."

…………………………………..

"Hey, wait up," Buffy said, jogging lightly down the hallway to catch up with Faith, as the younger girl was walking towards the library.

"Giles wanted to see you too?" Faith asked.

"Yeah, do you know what it's about?" Buffy asked. "I didn't think we were training this afternoon."

"We're not supposed to," Faith answered. "Maybe it's a new big bad."

"Well, whatever it is, we've got it," Buffy replied confidently, smiling over at her sister slayer. Faith smiled a little as well before looking away. She was not accustomed to Buffy treating her as an equal.

Faith opened the library doors, only to be greeted by an alien voice ringing out through the nearly empty room. Instantly, she saw Giles sitting at one of the library tables. His glasses were lying on the table and he was pinching the bridge of his nose. Faith knew that he was frustrated with something. "Of course, training procedures have been updated quite a bit since your day – more of an emphasis on fieldwork," the alien voice said. Faith instantly noted the English accent.

"New Watcher?" Faith asked, as the question formed on Buffy's lips as well.

"I'm afraid so," Giles replied wearily.

"Ah, this must be Buffy and Faith," Wesley said, moving forward and extending his hand to Faith. "I'm Wesley Wyndam-Price."

Faith simply looked at him, her eyes roaming over his face. She was positive that she would not like the man. Buffy looked over at her, and upon seeing that she was not going to be shaking the new Watcher's hand anytime soon, extended her own. "It's nice to meet you," Buffy replied as Wesley shook her hand gratefully.

"Yeah," Faith said, moving passed them and taking a seat at the library table next to Giles. "What's he doing here?" She whispered over to her legal guardian.

"We knew that the Council would send someone sooner or later. I was hoping later, however," Giles replied. "Just remember, you don't have to do anything he says. That being said, he might be able to teach you something."

"I doubt it," Faith answered, looking at the new Watcher again. "Hey," she said, capturing his attention, "have you ever seen a vampire?"

"Of course," Wesley replied, flustered, "under controlled circumstances."

"Controlled circumstances?" Faith asked. "So you've never seen one, out in the wild, hunting? You've never seen one make a kill?"

"No," Wesley replied, looking down at the floor. "I can't say that I have."

"Looks like we're taking a field trip then, Wes," Faith replied. "I'll be back here tonight. You should be prepared for a long night. There's no way in hell I'm ever going to work with you if you don't know what it's really like out there. But, if you survive it," Faith said, looking over at Giles, and winking, "maybe we'll talk."

"Tonight then," Wesley replied as Faith got to her feet and sauntered out of the library. Giles looked down at the table to hide his smile. He knew that Faith would have a difficult time adjusting to another Watcher, especially after the betrayal of Gwendolyn Post, but he knew that she would accept Wesley if he wanted her to do so.

"So, is he evil?" Buffy asked, once Faith had disappeared. Wesley looked over at her in surprise.

"No," Giles said, smiling at his slayer. "He's not evil. I've checked him out with the Council."

"Right," Wesley said, clapping his hands together. "Well, while you're here, Buffy, how about we see what you can do?"

…………………………….

Alan Finch looked out of his apartment window. The view was not particularly spectacular, but he could not complain. The apartment was his, a sanctuary from his job, his family, and all of the other cares the world placed on him. The late afternoon sun slanted in through the window, piercing his eyes. His palms were sweating inside the pockets of his pants. Looking back at the safe in the corner of the room, he had to physically restrain himself from walking over to it to check that the manila folder he had taken out of his office was still there. "Soon, Alan, soon," he muttered to himself. Picking up bottle of Jack Daniels, he poured the liquid down his throat, grimacing as it burned its way through his body. The sun was starting to set. It would be too dangerous for him that night. The Mayor's people were still tying up loose ends for the dedication. But tomorrow night, everything would be quiet. Tomorrow, he would betray the Mayor.


	51. New Watcher

The Quickening

Previously:

"Looks like we're taking a field trip then, Wes," Faith replied. "I'll be back here tonight. You should be prepared for a long night. There's no way in hell I'm ever going to work with you if you don't know what it's really like out there. But, if you survive it," Faith said, looking over at Giles, and winking, "maybe we'll talk."

Chapter Fifty:

"So Buffy found some swords and this is important because?" Faith asked, bored out of her mind. She and Wesley had been patrolling for the better part of an hour without incident. Thus far, Faith's field trip to break Wes in had been a bust.

"The swords are important because they belonged to a group called El Eliminati," Wesley explained, in Faith's opinion, rather condescendingly.

"Okay, let's get one thing straight," Faith said, stopping suddenly and turning to face him. "Don't ever talk down to me. I get that you're a lot smarter than me. But you don't have to rub it in my face, okay?"

Wesley nodded and looked down at the ground, his face turning a bright shade of red. "I apologize," he said sincerely. "I didn't mean to talk down to you."

"It's five by five," Faith said, continuing walking. "Just don't do it again."

"I won't," Wes promised. "So is it always this dead?"

"It _is _a cemetery," Faith joked. Wesley shot her a disapproving glare. "What?" Faith replied, shrugging her shoulders. "You Watchers really need to get a sense of humor."

"I'll work on that," Wes said, smiling at little.

"There's usually more activity than this," Faith said, picking up on Wes' unanswered question.

"Perhaps they're all elsewhere," Wes suggested.

"Like?" Faith asked.

"The Eliminati are in town. They're the servants of a demon called Balthazar. New demon comes to town, perhaps the rest are laying low," Wes explained.

"That would make sense," Faith replied. Suddenly, a scream pierced through the night. Faith broke out into a run in the direction of the sound. "Com on!" She shouted over her shoulder at Wesley. Despite his best effort, he could not keep up with her. Eventually, he found her viciously fighting a vampire. Her stake was lying a few feet away from him. Rushing over to it, he picked it up.

"Faith!" He called. Faith looked over her shoulder and Wes tossed her the stake.

"Thanks," she said breathlessly as she plunged the stake into the vampire's heart. "Kinda needed that."

"I assumed as much," Wes answered. His blood was pumping through his veins. He had not seen a slayer fight a vampire until that moment. The grace and beauty of Faith's moves he astounded him. Likewise, the feral, animalistic nature of the vampire's attack had frightened him beyond compare. "The victim?" Wes asked, looking around.

"I don't think I got here in time," Faith said, kneeling down next to a crumpled body, huddled up against a gravestone. "Come here," she instructed.

Wesley cautiously moved forward, desperately trying to regain control over his breathing. "Is she dead?" He asked, although he feared that he already knew the answer to the question.

"Yeah," Faith replied. "I want you to look really hard at her," she said. "Remember her face whenever you try to give me or B a lecture about responsibility, or what it means to be a slayer. Believe me, we know," Faith said sadly, looking back at the girl.

"Will she rise?" Wes asked.

"I don't think so," Faith replied. "He was just looking for a midnight snack."

"Should we alert the police?" Wes asked, unsure of how to handle the situation.

"No," Faith said, rising to her feet and slipping the stake into the waistband of her pants. "Someone will find her."

"So we just leave her here?" Wes asked incredulously.

"We could find a payphone, try to explain to the police how we found a body in the cemetery, but do you have any idea how much time that would take? By the time they showed up, someone else would be dead. We have to keep moving, Wes. We have to keep hunting," Faith explained.

"I imagine you're right," Wes said, thinking about Faith's explanation. "It still feels wrong."

"I know," Faith said, walking away with Wesley trailing behind her. "That's just the way it is."

………………………

Faith gratefully slid underneath the covers of her bed. It had been a long night, but by the end of it, she and Wesley had come to an understanding. He was not coming into a situation with two brand new slayers. He realized now that Buffy and Faith were seasoned veterans. They did not need someone to come in and turn everything upside down; instead, they simply needed someone to help them when things were more than they could handle on their own. She could see a whole new respect in Wesley's eyes when he looked at her by the end of the night. He had seen her fight and he knew the power that lie within her. Conversely, Faith had come to respect Wesley as well. He seemed to know a great deal about demons. Though Giles did as well, it did not hurt to have two experts on her team.

Turning off the light, Faith sighed and closed her eyes, rolling over onto her side. She had wanted to stop by Xander's place after patrol, but Wesley insisted on walking her home, though she probably should have done him the favor instead. She could feel her eyelids become heavy as sleep began to take her. Instantly, she fell into a dream. The dream was unlike the others she had been experiencing as of late. Instead of being an active participant in the dream, she was looking in from the outside. She recognized her surroundings instantly. She was in her room at Giles's apartment.

The morning sun was streaming in through the opened window. She could hear birds chirping outside, but for some reason, they felt out of place. Looking around the room, she noticed that it was much cleaner than she usually kept it. Her clothes were neatly placed in her closet and all of her things seemed to be in order. The room felt empty, almost as if she had not been there in quite some time. Suddenly, she felt the presence of someone walking into the room. Buffy entered through the door. Giles was behind her, but he lingered in the doorway for a moment, a sad expression on his face. Buffy's face was like stone. Faith could not read what was on her sister slayer's mind.

"I'm sorry, Giles," Buffy said, her voice cold and hard. "But it had to be done."

"I know," Giles replied. His voice was strained, as if he were trying to keep his emotions in check. Faith looked closer and saw that his eyes were red, like he had been crying. Looking back at Buffy, Faith noticed for the first time that blood stained the front of her shirt.

"What the hell is going on?" Faith muttered aloud, although she knew that neither of the people in the room could hear her.

"Do you think she'll wake up?" Buffy asked, her voice suddenly small and weak. Giles shook his head and, in a defeated tone, replied, "I don't know."

Faith closed her eyes, suddenly wanting to be anywhere but in that room. When she opened them again, she was standing on the balcony of an apartment that she recognized from a previous dream. Suddenly, she felt something cold slide through her body. Then hot, stinging pain shot through her senses. Looking down, she saw the blade of a knife sticking out of her stomach. She could feel her knees starting to crumple beneath her and she mustered all of her strength to remain standing. She had never felt a pain like the one that was spreading through her body. It was so intense that it brought tears to her eyes, but it also brought relief and comfort.

"I'm dying," she said, looking down at the blade again, and the thought did not scare her as she thought it should. She could see her face looking back at her in a distorted reflection. It did not look anything like her. The girl staring back at her was a monster. Her eyes were empty, soulless, and a cold sneer lingered on her face. Faith looked up, to see her attacker, and held back a gasp of surprise. "Buffy?" Faith asked, but the other girl did not answer her.

Then she was falling. She could feel the air parting beneath her. It blew up through her hair, rushing passed her with a force that caused the air to shoot from her lungs. She connected with solid ground and stars exploded in front of her eyes. She felt as if she were going to pass out. The ground was hard against her back. It felt like a road. Turning her head to the side, Faith determined that she was lying in an alley. There was a chain-linked fence several yards away. Some boxes were stacked in front of it. Pulling herself to her feet, she noticed that the pain in her stomach was gone. Looking down, she saw that the wound had disappeared.

Looking around the alley, Faith noticed a man standing in the shadows. She could feel fear pouring off of him in waves. Moving over to him, she saw his face clearly in a street lamp. He looked familiar somehow, like she had seen him on the news. However, she could not put a name to his face. "What's going on?" Faith asked again, louder this time.

"Remember my face," the man suddenly said and Faith knew that it was the First Evil talking.

"Why?" Faith asked.

"Everyday for the rest of your life, my face will haunt your nightmares. You'll see it every time you close your eyes, burned onto your eyelids. You'll never forget me," the man answered.

"But I don't even know who you are," Faith replied anxiously.

"Oh, you will," he responded, his thin lips curling up into a smile. "You will."


	52. Bad Girls P 1

The Quickening

Previously:

"Everyday for the rest of your life, my face will haunt your nightmares. You'll see it every time you close your eyes, burned onto your eyelids. You'll never forget me," the man answered.

"But I don't even know who you are," Faith replied anxiously.

"Oh, you will," he responded, his thin lips curling up into a smile. "You will."

Chapter Fifty-One:

"So we believe this Balthazar guy is dead?" Buffy asked, propping her feet up on the library table, much to both Giles and Wesley's dismay. Faith, upon noticing the distressed looks on their faces, discreetly elbowed her sister slayer in the side. Buffy, however, did not understand Faith's intention, and, while rubbing her now sore ribs, glared pointedly over at Faith.

"Your feet, B," Faith said, exasperated. "They aren't gonna hear a word you say so long as your shoes are scuffing up the table."

"Oh," Buffy said, realizing why Faith had so strategically elbowed her in the side. Looking down at the table sheepishly, she quickly removed her feet.

"Thank you," Giles said with a sigh of relief.

"Back to the business at hand," Wesley continued. "Yes, we believe that Balthazar is dead."

"Last night it sounded like you thought he might still be kickin' around," Faith said.

"I was wrong," Wes replied, much to the astonishment of Buffy and Giles, who still thought of Wesley as a pompous, arrogant fool. "In rereading my materials this morning, I discovered the Balthazar was believed to have been killed quite some time ago."

"So why are they here, then?" Buffy asked.

"Balthazar possessed a very powerful amulet. Purportedly, it was recovered by a wealthy landowner named Gleaves, who had it buried with him upon his death," Wesley explained.

"So why are they looking for it now?" Faith pondered. "It's not like it would do them any good."

"Perhaps they wish to reacquire it for sentimental value," Wesley suggested.

"Or perhaps our demon Balthazar is not as dead as we'd like to think," Giles pointed out. "The amulet would have little use to El Eliminati without him. However, their search for it could be an indication that Balthazar is back and wants what was his."

"I'm thinking more with Giles on this one," Buffy stated. "I've never known demons, or demon worshippers for that matter, to be overly sentimental about things."

"So what's the plan then?" Faith asked, itching for action rather than research and debate.

"The Gleaves family crypt is located somewhere in Sunnydale. Hopefully, the amulet will be buried with it," Wes stated.

"So you want us to go find some dusty, old artifact? We should be going after the big guy himself," Faith said enthusiastically, leaning forward in her chair.

"I don't feel that would be the best course of action at this point in time," Wesley said carefully. Faith sighed and leaned back in her chair again, supposedly defeated.

"Fine, whatever you say, Wes. You're the boss," Faith replied.

"Very well," Wes said with a smile. "Report back tonight with what you've found."

Buffy and Faith both stood, gathered their belongings, and exited the library. "So when do you want to do this?" Buffy asked, looking over at Faith.

"Sorry to bail on ya, girlfriend, but I'm not really into the recon," Faith replied. "I'm more of an action girl, if you know what I mean."

"What about our assignment though, Faith? You heard what Wesley said," Buffy retorted.

"Yeah, I did. But you know what, you do the homework, and I'll copy yours," Faith said, winking at Buffy before pushing open the exit doors of Sunnydale High. Buffy stood for several long moments, watching Faith depart, before shaking her head and sighing.

"Alright then, I guess I'm in this alone."

…………………………….

Buffy, armed with a rather large flashlight and clad in the most clandestine clothes that she could find in her closet, carefully opened the door of the Gleaves family crypt. Shining the flashlight through the small room, she sighed in relief upon noting that its only occupants were laying in the grave, where they had been resting for centuries. Three large crypts were situated in the center of the room. Moving over to the closest, she lifted off the lid with a grunt and slid it aside. Peering into the coffin, she sighed.

"Strike one," she muttered to herself as she slid the lid back onto the stone box. Moving over to the second, she repeated her actions. However, this time when she peered inside, she saw the amulet peering back out at her. "Bingo," she said triumphantly. Suddenly, her slayer senses began to tingle rapidly, chills running up and down her spine, indicating that very soon she would not be alone. Grabbing the amulet, she slid it inside of her jacket pocket, and carefully slid the coffin lid back in place. Then she turned, preparing to make a hasty exit. However, when she turned, she saw that she was surrounded by nearly a half dozen vampires holding torches.

"This is so not good," Buffy muttered to herself. The vampires moved closer, forming a tight circle around her.

"Give us the amulet," one of them hissed at her.

"I don't think so," Buffy replied. "But if you ask nicely, maybe I'll reconsider."

"You want to play rough? We can handle that," the vampire sneered. They set their torches aside and prepared to attack.

"Hey!" A voice called from the door of the crypt. "Why don't you pick on someone your own size?" Faith said, moving into the room.

"Faith?" Buffy asked, immensely relieved to see the younger girl. "I thought you weren't coming."

"Wasn't planning on it," Faith replied. "But I had a change of heart."

"I'm glad you did," Buffy responded. "Now let's kick some ass."

Faith smiled sweetly before she grabbed the nearest vampire and easily tossed him against the crypt wall. It landed against the wall with a smack that reverberated throughout the room. Pulling a stake from the waistband of her pants, she quickly plunged the weapon through its heart, watching as it burst into dust. Meanwhile, Buffy was taking on two vampires at one time, handling herself quite nicely. Keeping them both at arm's length, she pummeled one with a swift fury of kicks, knocking it off its feet before turning to the other and punching it fiercely in the face.

Faith turned and watched as the remaining four vampires surrounded her. She could see that Buffy was handling herself extremely well and relaxed, unconcerned about the safety of her sister slayer. "What's up boys?" Faith asked. "Want a piece of this?" The vampires charged and Faith leapt into the air, flipping over their heads, and landing behind them. She plunged her stake into the back of the nearest. The others turned, the closest grabbed Faith from behind, and held her as the other two advanced. Buffy looked over and saw Faith's predicament. Staking the vampire she had kicked into submission, she punched the other in the head, temporarily knocking him out, before rushing to Faith's aid.

Grabbing one of the vampires, she tossed him aside. Faith lashed out with her feet, catching the advancing vampire off guard and knocking him back. Throwing her head back, she smiled as she heard the sound of the nose of the vampire, who had been holding her, breaking. The vampire stumbled backwards and Faith wriggled out of its grasp. Staking the one in front of her, she turned and kicked the other in the side of the head. He fell to the floor and she leapt on top of him, straddling his chest. Her eyes shone with an animalistic power as she plunged the stake into his heart and he crumpled to dust. Looking up, she saw Buffy dispatching the last vampire.

"Well, that went well," Faith said.

"Yeah, we got the amulet," Buffy replied, pulling it out of her jacket and holding it up for Faith to see.

"Score," Faith responded. "So, do we trust Wes with it, or do we find an alternate means of storage?"

"What do you mean?" Buffy asked.

"Wes doesn't exactly seem equipped to defend that thing with his life. Any vampire that wanted it would just have to walk up to him and ask nicely. I think we should give it to someone a little more capable," Faith explained.

"You mean Angel," Buffy replied, finally catching on to Faith's train of thought.

"Exactly," Faith answered.

"I'll call him, tell him to meet us at the Bronze," Buffy said. "I think we deserve a little break."

……………………..

Angel entered the Bronze, his eyes searching out Buffy and Faith. He had received her telephone call and left instantly, knowing the value and importance of the amulet that the two slayers possessed. He spotted Buffy and Faith lounging in the back and moved quickly over to them. "You called?" He asked, sitting down across from them.

"Yeah, we need you to hold on to this for a little while," Buffy replied, producing the amulet from inside of her jacket. She handed it to Angel and he quickly slid it into his own jacket pocket, hiding it from view.

"Not a problem," Angel replied.

"Do us a favor though," Faith said, "and tell G-man that you have it. He'll want to know."

"Be careful," Angel said, rising to his feet. "If Balthazar is alive, he's not going to be too happy. They'll be looking for you."

"We're not staying long," Buffy replied. "But we'll watch our backs."

"Good," Angel said. "See you later."

"How does he do that?" Faith wondered aloud, as Angel practically disappeared from view.

"Must be a vampire thing," Buffy answered. "Ready to go?"

"Yeah," Faith replied.

"Let's take the side streets. No need to call attention to ourselves," Buffy said.

"Good plan," Faith responded. "The alleys are safer anyways."


	53. The Accident Bad Girls P 2

The Quickening

Notes: Thanks for the reviews. Keep them coming.

Previously:

"Be careful," Angel said, rising to his feet. "If Balthazar is alive, he's not going to be too happy. They'll be looking for you."

Chapter Fifty-Two:

Vincent slowly approached Balthazar. The obese, pasty demon was sitting in his tank of water, screaming and wailing about his amulet. The rest of El Eliminati was gathered around Balthazar, their heads hung low. Vincent knew that they had failed Balthazar. He had charged them with the task of recovering his amulet. The slayers had gotten to it first. Something told Vincent that Balthazar was not going to be satisfied with their excuse. Vincent grimaced as he watched Balthazar break the neck of one of his companions.

"I see fear," Balthazar screamed, his voice shrill and harsh. "I see remorse. I see the pitiful look of faces that cry out for mercy! But what I don't see, what I want to see, is my amulet!" Balthazar yelled. Vincent felt cold beads of sweat break out on his forehead when he saw Balthazar's eyes land on him. He did not want to meet the same fate as his companion.

"Vincent!" Balthazar growled. "Come here, Vincent." Balthazar began to wheeze, his breath coming in short gasps as his distress increased. Vincent nodded and slowly walked forward, his eyes on the ground. He hated to look at Balthazar. The demon was absolutely disgusting. "Closer," Balthazar said as Vincent stopped several feet from the tank. Vincent looked up, his panic increasing. He focused his eyes on the water in the tank. It was incredibly dirty and Vincent had to stop himself from gagging at the smell of it.

"Yes?" Vincent asked, his voice cracking with fear.

"Closer," Balthazar responded. Vincent leaned forward until he was only inches away from Balthazar's face. Balthazar reached forward and rested his hands on Vincent's shoulders, staring deep into Vincent's eyes. "Let me tell you what I want to see," Balthazar rasped.

"Of course," Vincent replied.

"I want to see my amulet. I don't care how you procure it. Just get it. Use any and all resources available to you. Understand?" Balthazar said. Vincent nodded.

"Whatever you require."

……………………

Buffy and Faith left the Bronze through the back door. The heavy, metal door slid shut and the music, so loud inside, suddenly stopped. "Think we made the right choice?" Faith asked as she and Buffy walked down the alley that led through the warehouse district of Sunnydale, which led to the residential district. From there, they would split up, both going back to their houses.

"Yeah, I think so," Buffy said. "Angel can protect the amulet. We could have as well, but El Eliminati will be looking for us. It wouldn't be as safe with us as it will be with him."

"Good," Faith replied. "I just wanted to make sure that we're on the same page."

"Wait," Buffy said, stopping suddenly. Faith looked over at her.

"What?" Faith asked.

"Do you feel that?" Buffy asked, slowly moving forward again.

"Vampires," Faith responded, her slayer senses tingling out of control. Grabbing a stake out of the waistband of her pants, she followed Buffy. The blonde slayer had began lightly jogging down the alley, moving closer to the source of the tingles that ran up and down both her and Faith's backs.

They had just entered the warehouse district when the first vampire jumped out at them. It was on Buffy's side and she quickly dispatched it, sliding the stake into its heart. Another jumped out at Faith, who did the same. "For some reason, I think we're getting close to Balthazar," Faith said sarcastically.

"Really? You think?" Buffy replied. "All these vampires tell you that?" Two more jumped out, one in front of each slayer. As they progressed down the alley the number of vampires increased, until they were fighting just to keep moving.

"What do you think?" Faith shouted. "Turn back or keep going?"

"We could find Balthazar," Buffy replied. "I say we keep going."

"Fair enough," Faith answered as a vampire jumped out at her. It held a short sword in its hands. It thrust the sword at Faith. She side stepped it and grabbed the vampire by the arm, punching it in the face with her other hand. Breaking the vampire's wrist, she staked it in the chest. It exploded into dust and Faith moved forward. Another vampire jumped out at her and Faith did not hesitate as she slammed the stake into its chest. The moment the stake pierced the flesh, however, Faith knew that something was wrong. Somewhere in her mind, she could hear Buffy shout something at her.

"Faith! No!" She heard Buffy yell. The stake was harder to push through the vampire's chest than it had been with the other vampires. Usually the stake slid in easily, the muscles and bones caving as the stake entered. However, the muscles and bones did not cave as usual. They fought back and Faith had to use all of her strength to pierce the heart. Through the wood of the stake, Faith felt something that made her blood run cold. She could feel the vampire's heart beating.

"Oh my God," Faith whispered, looking up into the vampire's face. He was not a vampire. He was a human being. He was a man. He was a man and Faith could feel his heart slowing through the stake that she held in her hand. Faith quickly released the handle of the stake as if the wood had burned her. Looking into the man's eyes, wide with horror and the knowledge that his life was slowly ending, Faith felt sick. She could feel the burning sensation of bile creeping up her throat. The taste flooded her mouth and she had to restrain herself from vomiting. Faith felt someone push her out of the way as the man stumbled and fell into the wall of the alley.

"Don't move," Buffy said. "Everything is going to be okay." She knelt down beside the man and pressed her hand against the wound on his chest.

"I didn't mean to," Faith said suddenly, her voice panicked. "I didn't know."

"Get help!" Buffy yelled back at her, but Faith could not move. She tried to turn and run, to turn and run to get help, but she stayed where she was. Her feet seemed cemented to the ground. She could only stare at the man lying in front of her and the blood seeping out onto his crisp, white shirt.

"I can't," Faith said, her voice breaking. "I can't." Everything seemed to be moving in slow motion. Faith noticed that the vampires had stopped coming. Her slayer senses were no longer tingling. The night air blew through her hair and Faith looked up into the sky. The moon was big and round, shining down on her. Faith looked down at her hands and, for the first time, noticed the blood staining them. She quickly wiped her hands on her pants, but when she looked at them again, she could still see the blood. No matter how long or hard she tried to wipe it off, it was still there.

"You need to relax okay?" Buffy said to the man. "You're going to be fine."

"I…" the man said, "needed to see you."

"What?" Buffy asked.

"I was looking for you," he choked out. Blood was seeping through his teeth, running over his lips, and down his chin.

"What for?" Buffy pressed. She knew that he should not be talking, but she wanted to know why he was looking for her.

"I have information," he said. "Information about…" he trailed off.

"About what?" Buffy asked eagerly. "About what?" His breath hitched and suddenly his eyes went wide. Then his heart stopped. "He's dead," Buffy said.

"Shit," Faith muttered to herself. "What the fuck are we gonna do now?"

"We?" Buffy asked, looking back at her. "You staked him."

"I didn't mean to!" Faith yelled. "I didn't know he was human. I thought he was a vampire. You thought so too."

"I didn't know anything until I saw him. Can't you tell the difference?" Buffy asked, rising to her feet.

"Not when I'm surrounded by vampires," Faith retorted. "We need to get out of here." Faith turned and looked down an alley shooting off the main alley. Suddenly, one of her dreams came back to her. She was standing in this very place. She remembered the smaller alley and the chain link fence at the end of it. Looking back at the man lying dead in the alley, she suddenly recognized his face. "What the hell," she whispered.

"What about him?" Buffy asked, motioning back towards the body.

"Leave him," Faith said. Then she ran towards the fence. Vaulting over it, she took off down the street. She did not know if Buffy was behind her or not, but as she ran, she felt her sister slayer less and less. After running for nearly twenty minutes in no particular direction, Faith stopped, leaned against a wall, and tried to catch her breath. She could not get the images of Buffy's disappointed and disgusted face, the man's dead face, and the blood on her hands out of her head. Everything was swirling around in front of her vision and she felt like she was going to pass out. She had no idea where she was going, but she knew that she could not go home. Buffy would go directly to Giles. Faith knew that much. She could not go to Xander's apartment with blood all over her. He would ask too many questions that she did not want to answer.

Faith suddenly knew where she was going to go. Her feet took her without her mind even conscious of the movement. Before she knew it, she was standing in front of Cordelia's house. The house was larger than most Faith had ever seen. Moving up the driveway, she noticed that Cordelia's car was parked outside of the garage. It was late and Faith was unsure if Cordelia would even be awake. Walking up to the front door, Faith rang the doorbell and waited. She could not hear anyone moving about inside of the house. She rang the bell again and, finally, heard footsteps approaching from inside of the house.

The door swung open and Cordelia stood on the other side. "Do you have any idea how late it is?" Cordy asked, suddenly noticing that Faith did not look like herself. "Is that blood?" She asked, looking down at Faith's hands and pants.

"Yeah," Faith replied shakily. "Can I come in?"

"Of course," Cordelia said, swinging the door open. "Are you injured?"

"No," Faith said, looking down at the blood. "It's not mine."

"Whose is it?" Cordelia asked.

"I don't know," Faith replied. "Something happened tonight."

"Sit down," Cordy said, moving Faith into the living room. "What happened?" She asked, kneeling down in front of Faith and looking deep into her eyes. Faith looked back at Cordelia and, for a moment, felt like everything was going to be okay. She knew that Cordy was not going to judge her for what she did.

"I staked someone," Faith answered.

"You mean a vampire?" Cordy asked in confusion.

"No, a man," Faith said, looking down at her hands. The blood was there again.

"Accidentally?" Cordy asked.

"Yeah," Faith responded. "I didn't mean to. Vampires were coming out of everywhere and all of the sudden, he was standing in front of me. I didn't think. I just thought he was one of them."

"Was anyone else there? Did anyone see?" Cordy asked.

"Yeah," Faith said, looking up again. "Buffy was with me."

"Where is she?" Cordy asked. Rising to her feet, she motioned for Faith to follow her. Faith followed Cordelia up the stairs and into her bedroom. "Sit on the bed."

"I don't know where she is. I ran. Buffy didn't follow me," Faith said. "Where is all of your furniture?" Faith asked, motioning towards the part of the house they had just walked through, which was practically empty.

"Auctioned," Cordy answered. "The family needed money. Do you think she'll tell anyone?"

"I don't know," Faith said. "She might go to Giles."

"What about the body?" Cordy asked, pulling an extra pair of pants from a dresser drawer. She tossed them to Faith. "Put these on."

"Okay," Faith replied. "The body's still in the alley."

"You left it there?" Cordy asked, turning her back as Faith changed her pants. "Done?"

"Yeah, I'm done. And yeah, I left it there," Faith answered.

"Follow me into the bathroom," Cordy instructed. Faith followed her into the bathroom and sat down on the edge of the bathtub. Cordy grabbed a washcloth and ran it under the sink. Then she knelt down in front of Faith. Taking the washcloth, she gently began to wipe the dried blood from Faith's hands. "What did you do to your hands?" Cordy asked, noticing that the skin on Faith's palms was rubbed red and raw.

"I couldn't get the blood off," Faith said distantly. Cordy looked up at her and nodded.

"It's coming off now, see?" Cordy said. Faith looked down at her hands.

"Yeah," she answered. "It is."

"We need to do something with the body," Cordy said quietly.

"Why?" Faith asked.

"Because the police are going to find it. They're going to find it with wood splinters in his heart. They'll trace it back to Buffy," Cordy said.

"How will they trace it back to Buffy?" Faith asked.

"Last year, the police arrested her for the murder of your predecessor. The police questioned Snyder, who talked about some of Buffy's extracurricular activities. If they find wood splinters in his heart, they'll link it to Buffy and then to you," Cordy said. "Word travels fast in this town. The police are more aware of what happens than we think."

"We need to dump the body," Faith confirmed.

"The question is, where?" Cordy asked.

"The harbor," Faith replied. "Weight it and sink it. They'll never find it. But we have to do something else first."

"What's that?" Cordy asked.

"We need to find out who he is. He said he was looking for us. We need to find out why."


	54. Bad Girls Part 3: We

The Quickening

Previously:

"We need to dump the body," Faith confirmed.

"The question is, where?" Cordy asked.

"The harbor," Faith replied. "Weight it and sink it. They'll never find it."

Chapter Fifty-Three:

Angel walked down the hallway of Sunnydale High, keenly aware of everything happening around him. He could hear the two Watchers arguing in the library down the hall, the sound of water coursing through the pipes in the ceiling above his head, and the creak of the tile floor under his feet as he walked. The amulet was tucked safely in his jacket pocket. He could feel it bulging just above his heart. Angel knew the danger of walking around with the amulet in his possession. However, given the circumstances, he knew that he was the best person to protect it. Buffy and Faith, with all of their strength, were walking targets. El Eliminati would be looking for them. No matter how far they ran, or how hard they fought, they would lose the amulet eventually. El Eliminati did not know that he had the amulet though. They would never even think to look for him.

Angel smiled as he approached the library doors. He could hear Giles sigh in exasperation. "I didn't say that you have emotional problems. Nor did I say that you have an emotional problem. I'm merely saying…" Wesley said as Angel walked into the library. "Who is this?"

"Angel," Giles said, relieved to see the vampire, despite his still hostile attitude towards him. "Strange to say, I'm actually glad to see you."

"That is pretty strange," Angel replied. "Who's this guy?"

"I'm sorry, would someone tell me what's going on, please?" Wesley asked indignantly.

"This is Wesley," Giles said by way of introduction. "Wesley is Buffy and Faith's new Watcher. The Council did not deem me fit to act in that capacity any more," Giles explained.

"New Watcher," Angel commented. "He seems a little wet behind the ears."

"He rather is," Giles confirmed.

"I must insist that you explain to me what's going on right now," Wesley demanded.

"Wesley," Giles said in placating tones, "this is Angel. Angel is a friend of Buffy's."

"Angel," Wesley commented. "You mean Angelus, the vampire?"

"He means Angel," Angel said angrily. "I don't go by that name anymore. I have a soul."

"Still a vampire though," Wesley said warily.

"Yeah, still a vampire. But trust me, I'm the last thing you need to be worrying about right now. Like you imagined, Balthazar is very much so alive. He's in town and he's looking for his amulet. He's not going to find it though," Angel explained.

"Why is that?" Giles asked, taking a sip from the cup of tea that was sitting in front of him.

"I have it. Buffy and Faith retrieved it from the crypt. They gave it to me to protect for the time being," Angel replied.

"I don't think that's a good idea," Wesley said cautiously.

"I didn't ask you," Angel shot back. "You know where to find me if you need it," he said to Giles. Turning, he walked back out of the library, smiling at the tension that lay between the two Watchers. He knew that Wesley was unhappy about the prospects of leaving a dangerous and powerful weapon in the hands of a vampire. He also knew that Giles was not happy about the prospect of Angel, of all people, having the amulet either. However, Giles was not about to declare his uneasiness about the situation in front of Wesley, and, thereby, inadvertently agree with him.

Angel quickly walked down the hallway, eager to return to the mansion. He did not like wandering around the streets of Sunnydale with the amulet tucked inside of his jacket. Despite his vampire strength, he felt particularly vulnerable while he held the amulet. He knew that many different people would be looking for it. They would do whatever it took to retrieve it. Angel did not want to get in the way. However, he had a job to do and he would protect the amulet to the end if he had to do so. At the moment, however, all he wanted to do was return home, start up a fire, and lose himself in a good book.

……………………

Buffy sighed, started to move forward, and then stopped, turned, and stopped again. She was standing outside of Giles' apartment. She knew that she had to talk to Giles about what happened with Faith that night. Her sister slayer had killed a man. She knew that Faith would try to run from it. She had to tell Giles. However, she knew that Giles had become quite attached to Faith since she moved in with him. Giles looked at Faith like the daughter he never had. Buffy knew that she could not just barge in and inform him, in no uncertain terms, that Faith had killed a man and left him to rot in an alley. Sighing again, Buffy closed her eyes and summoned all of her strength.

Moving forward, she knocked quickly on the front door of Giles' apartment. Bouncing on her heels, she waited. Several long seconds passed. She strained to hear anything from inside of the apartment, but only silence greeted her ears. "He must be at the library still," Buffy muttered to herself. Turning from the door, she looked up into the night sky. The world seemed so calm, while the whole of her being was uprooted in turmoil. Buffy steeled her resolve and began walking towards the library. She knew what she had to do.

……………………..

"We almost there?" Cordelia asked as she and Faith crept down one of the many alleys in Sunnydale.

"Almost," Faith replied quietly. "He's just down here." Faith pulled her jacket tighter around her body. It was not that cold outside that night; however, Faith felt a chill running through her bones that she could not stop. She imagined that she could walk into the very fires of Hell, but she would still feel that chill – that chill that told her that she had done the one thing in the world that she could never take back.

"You okay?" Cordy asked, gently resting her hand on Faith's shoulder.

"Five by five," Faith whispered.

"Don't lie to me," Cordy said quietly, but firmly. Faith stopped walking and looked over at her. She could see Cordy's eyes shining in the night. Looking down at her shoes, Faith sighed, and then looked back up. When Cordy met her eyes, she could see Faith's entire soul staring back at her, and it looked weary.

"I'm alright," Faith said. "I just need to get this done."

"Okay, let's get it done then," Cordy said. They started walking again. Finally, they came to the spot.

"There he is," Faith said, pointing down at the body.

"Holy shit," Cordy muttered to herself.

"What?" Faith asked, looking over at her in alarm.

"You do know who he is, don't you?" Cordy asked.

"No," Faith replied. "I have no idea who he is."

"He's the Deputy Mayor," Cordy said, looking over at Faith. "Alan Finch, I think that's his name."

"That's not good," Faith muttered, running a hand over her face.

"When the police find out that he's gone missing, they'll be looking extra carefully for him," Cordy said. "We need to make sure that they're not going to find him."

"Then we need to find out why he was looking for us," Faith said. "He wasn't in this alley by mistake. He wanted to see us."

"You think he had some information for you?" Cordy asked.

"Apparently. Although, I can't imagine on what. You said he was the Deputy Mayor?" Faith asked.

"Yeah," Cordy said. "I don't have a very good feeling about this."

"What do you mean?"

"He worked for the Mayor. And he had information for you. This smells of conspiracy and I imagine it's pretty high up," Cordy said.

"You think the Mayor is working for the other side," Faith stated. "The only reason why Alan Finch would be looking for the slayers would be if he had information about something supernatural in the Mayor's office."

"We better dump this body. If someone finds it, we're screwed," Cordy said.

"We?" Faith asked, looking over at her.

"Yeah," Cordy said, looking pointedly at Faith, "we."

…………………….

"The fact is," Wesley said, "you're no longer qualified as a Watcher."

"Do we have to discuss this again?" Giles asked in frustration.

"You don't seem to be getting my point," Wesley replied.

"I understand your point, I just don't agree with it," Giles retorted.

"It's not your fault. No one's blaming you. You've done well really," Wesley said. "It's simply time for someone else to take the field."

Giles was about to take a sip of his tea when he stopped. "Well, it's about time you start," he said, setting the teacup back down on the table. "We have company."

Wesley turned around, only to see nearly a dozen members of El Eliminati standing in a semi circle in front of the library doors. "Bloody hell."


	55. Bad Girls Part 4: Moonlight

The Quickening

Notes: Thanks for the reviews. Keep them coming. Also, I haven't been updating as much as I used to. This will probably continue until June, as I have way too much stuff going on. Hopefully after that, I'll be able to update as I usually do.

Previously:

Giles was about to take a sip of his tea when he stopped. "Well, it's about time you start," he said, setting the teacup back down on the table. "We have company."

Wesley turned around, only to see nearly a dozen members of El Eliminati standing in a semi circle in front of the library doors. "Bloody hell."

Chapter Fifty-Four:

Cordelia stood in the doorway of her bedroom. The moon was shining in through the bedroom window, creating a web of shadows on the floor and the bed, where Faith was lying. Her face was covered in darkness, but Cordelia could see her eyes rolling underneath her eyelids as she slept. She was dreaming. Cordelia could only imagine the images flashing through Faith's mind at that particular moment. She knew that the face of Alan Finch would plague her own dreams and she had only played a passive role in his death. It had taken them a long time to move the body from the alley to the harbor. They did not have a vehicle, or any other mode of transportation, so they had to carry the body the entire way. It had taken all of Cordelia's will power to keep her grip on the body as they carried it. She had dropped it several times on the way and, each time, his falling limbs would slap against the concrete of the road in a sickening, smashing sound.

Cordelia shuddered and wrapped her arms around her body, trying to gather her warmth. She was not entirely sure how to handle Faith. She knew that Faith trust her, otherwise Faith would not have come to her house after killing Finch. However, Cordelia knew that Faith would need more than just her friendship to get through the difficult times that would lie ahead. Looking over at the phone on her dresser, Cordelia was struck by a sudden inspiration. She knew that she needed to call someone to help Faith work through her anger and grief. Giles was out of the question. Faith had not gone to Giles after the incident. He represented authority, structure, the ramifications of her actions, and the Watcher's Council.

However, she knew that Faith wanted to go to Xander, she was just afraid of how he would react. Cordelia smirked. She knew that Xander would have freaked out initially when Faith told him. However, if she told him, he would have time to process the information before reaching her house. That way, by the time he arrived, he would understand Faith's situation. Moving silently over to the phone, Cordelia picked it up off the receiver. Then she slipped out of the room. Dialing Xander's phone number, she held the phone against her ear and closed her bedroom door behind her.

…………………………

Buffy strolled through the darkened hallway of Sunnydale High. She was trying to find the words to say to Giles in order to explain what had happened that night. The more she thought about it, the less she blamed Faith for her actions. However, something inside of her thought that it was wrong to exonerate Faith for killing a human being. Being a slayer meant protecting and preserving life, not ending it. They fought so that innocent people could go about their lives without ever having to worry about the forces of darkness. Though Buffy was quick to want to judge Faith for killing someone, she had to stop and think. Buffy could have easily been the one to stake that man, had she been on the other side of the alley.

It had only been chance that Faith was the one; that she was in that place at that time. Vampires had been coming from everywhere, attacking them in succession. Faith did not have time to stop and think. In battle, a warrior had to attack without thinking about what would happen as a result of it. They were in a life and death situation and Faith had made the judgment call to attack. If she had waited, and the man had been a vampire, Faith could have died. Buffy sighed and ran a hand through her golden, blonde hair. The situation became more confusing as she thought about it. She knew that she had reacted badly when it happened. She had blamed Faith without taking any time to think about anything other than the fact that a man was lying dead in front of her. However, things were not as black and white as that.

As Buffy neared the library, she was pulled out of her thoughts by a nagging feeling in the back of her mind. Something was wrong, but she could not identify the problem. It dawned on her as she neared the library doors that she could not hear anything happening inside of the library. She had expected to hear Giles and Wesley arguing, but she heard nothing. Pushing the library doors open, she stepped inside of the room. "Not good," she muttered to herself as she saw the state of the library. The tables were turned upside down and books lay scattered across the entire floor. Pages had been ripped out and were blowing around the floor as the wind came in through the opened windows. Giles and Wesley were no were to be found.

"Giles!" Buffy shouted, rushing through the library. She checked the office and the stacks, but she could not find him. She knew that El Eliminati must have taken the two Watchers. They probably assumed that Buffy and Faith had the amulet. They would want to make an exchange in order to get it. However, Buffy knew that they could not exchange the amulet. They would have to fight to get Giles and Wesley back. Buffy sighed, knowing that she could not go to Faith. She was still trying to figure out where she stood on the matter of Faith killing a human being. She could not go to Faith for help. But she could go to Angel.

……………………….

Cordelia set the phone back down on the receiver. As she had anticipated, Xander freaked out when she explained to him what had happened that night. But after a few minutes, he had calmed down enough to realize that the killing had been an accident. After he realized that, he knew how much Faith was hurting. He was heading to her house at that moment. Cordelia knew that Faith would want him there when she woke up. Cordelia looked down at Faith as she slept. Smiling a little, Cordy leaned down and gently kissed Faith on the forehead. "Everything's going to be okay," Cordelia said softly. "Xander and I are going to look after you from now on."

Moving out of the room, Cordelia decided to wait downstairs for Xander to arrive. Knowing him, he would be breaking every traffic law imaginable in order to get there. She waited for several long minutes in the dark. The light of the street lamps outside played on her face as she stood in front of one of the foyer windows. The night was so silent and still. Cordelia could barely believe that the world had not screeched to a halt. But then, people died every night and the world still turned. The sun still rose and people still went about their lives as if nothing had happened. She had seen it too many times to be shocked by it anymore.

Headlights blinded her for a second as Xander pulled into her driveway. He was driving his uncle's car again. He must have borrowed it. Cordelia smirked, imaging how exactly Xander had been able to coerce his uncle into loaning him his car in the middle of the night. Xander jogged up the driveway and was at the front door as Cordelia opened it. "Where is she?" Xander asked, slipping inside of the house.

"Upstairs, in my room," Cordelia said, pointing up the stairs. "She's asleep."

"Okay," Xander said, running a hand through his hair. "Thanks, for everything you've done for her tonight," he said. Cordelia smiled and nodded.

"Just go up there. She really needs you right now," Cordy replied. Xander nodded and started up the stairs. Cordy sighed and moved into the living room, sitting down on the couch. She hoped that Xander could be what Faith needed at that moment.

Xander stood outside of Cordelia's bedroom door. Inhaling deeply, he gripped the doorknob and pushed the door open. He could see Faith lying on the bed. Moving into the room, he closed the door behind him. Then he walked over to the bed. Gently sitting down beside Faith on the bed, he reached out and brushed her hair out of her face. "Faith," he whispered softly. "Wake up." Faith groaned and rolled over, unconsciously leaning into Xander's touch.

"Xander?" Faith asked. She opened her eyes and pulled herself up into a sitting position, leaning against the headboard of the bed. "What're you doing here?"

"Cordelia called me," Xander answered. "She told me what happened."

"She did?" Faith asked quietly. Xander knew that Faith was starting to freak out by how her eyes widened slightly when he spoke.

"Yeah," Xander replied. He leaned against the headboard beside her and wrapped his arm around her shoulder.

"Do you think I'm disgusting?" Faith asked, looking down at her hands.

"No," Xander said immediately. "Why would I think that?"

"I killed someone," Faith replied.

"Accidentally," Xander answered. "You killed someone accidentally. The circumstances were entirely understandable. You're not to blame for this."

"A man is dead because of me, Xander, how am I not to blame for this?" Faith asked.

"He was in an alley with lots of vampires. Vampires, might I add, that were actively attacking you. He jumped out at you, as if about to attack you, and you reacted as anyone would in that situation," Xander explained.

"I guess," Faith replied, leaning into him.

"Trust me on this one. You may doubt yourself. But I don't. Just believe in that," Xander said.

"What about Giles?" Faith asked. "What is he going to do?"

"I don't know," Xander responded honestly. "But I think he'll understand. The world's not a black and white place. If there's anyone here that gets that, it's Giles."

"Yeah," Faith replied, smiling as she thought of her legal guardian. "I was so scared," Faith admitted quietly. "Buffy just looked at me like I was a monster."

"Buffy doesn't react well to things. She'll come around once she has time to think," Xander said. "I've known her long enough to be on the receiving end of her short sightedness many times. But she always figures things out once she stops and thinks."

"I hope so," Faith replied. "Things were starting to become good with us. She was really starting to see me as an equal and not just the back up slayer."

"Don't worry about her," Xander said. "You're not alone in this. Remember that. We can help you."

"I know," Faith said, looking into Xander's face and smiling. "For once in my life, I really know that."


	56. Bad Girls Part 5: Plans

The Quickening

Previously:

"You're not alone in this. Remember that. We can help you," Xander said.

"I know," Faith said, looking into Xander's face and smiling. "For once in my life, I really know that."

Chapter Fifty-Five:

Giles and Wesley stood in front of Balthazar while the demon instructed one of his minions. "Moisten the front!" Balthazar cried as the vampire moved a ladle of water of his body. The vampire nodded quickly, obviously in fear for his life. Giles had to restrain himself from chuckling. He clearly understood the gravity of the situation; however, he found Balthazar to be an utterly appalling, yet entertaining figure. The demon was sitting in what appeared to be a large tank of water. His skin was scarred and dried, apparently from the attempt on his life.

"What is that thing?" Wesley asked in repulsion as he glanced sideways over at Giles. Giles could not contain his snicker at Wesley's comment.

"What do you think it is?" Giles whispered back harshly.

"I don't know," Wesley said, shuddering.

"That would be our once dead, now apparently alive demon Balthazar," Giles replied matter-of-factly.

"I did not imagine that he would be quite so ugly," Wesley said, looking down at the floor so that he would not have to look at the demon.

"Quiet," Giles said. "We don't want to hurt his feelings. He might do something violent to us," he said sarcastically.

"I don't think now is the time to be joking," Wesley snapped back.

"We're probably about to die," Giles replied. "I think it's a perfect time to be joking. We don't have too much time left to do so after all."

"Who said that you could talk?" Balthazar suddenly demanded, realizing that his prisoners were discussing something in hushed tones.

"Not you apparently," Giles spoke up. Balthazar sneered and stared at the Watcher.

"Bring them closer," Balthazar demanded. "I want to smell their fear." Several of Balthazar's minions moved forward and grabbed the Watchers by their elbows. Their hands had been tied behind their backs shortly after they were taken from the library. The vampires dragged them through town until they reached the warehouse district. After that, they moved their way through the abandoned warehouses until they came to the one in which Balthazar had set up his operations.

"I'm afraid you might be disappointed," Giles replied boldly. "I've seen far worse than you in my time."

"Where is my amulet?" Balthazar asked angrily.

"We don't know," Wesley said, raising his chin in defiance.

"If we knew, we'd tell you. Unfortunately, we can't help you," Giles added.

"I know that you have my amulet. One way or another, you're going to tell me everything. We can do this the easy way or the hard way. Personally, I'd rather we did this the hard way. It would be far more entertaining for me to watch you both suffer, to watch you endure incredible amounts of pain," Balthazar sneered.

"You'll be wasting your time and energy," Giles replied. "We don't know anything."

"I know that the slayers stole my amulet. Where is it?" Balthazar demanded.

"We don't have it," Wesley stated.

"If you don't have it," Balthazar said, obviously getting frustrated, "then who has my amulet?"

"That would be me," Angel said, striding into the room confidently. Pulling the amulet out of his jacket pocket, he held it up for Balthazar to see. Giles turned to watch Angel, relieved to see Buffy striding in behind him. However, the fact that Faith was not with them worried him. He knew that Faith was eager to take down Balthazar. Angel slipped the amulet back into his jacket. "If you want it, come, and get it," he quipped, smirking when he saw Balthazar's face go red with anger.

"Bring me my amulet and kill them!" He ordered. His minions turned, ready to attack. Several rushed at Angel, while the rest rushed at Buffy. Angel slipped into his vampire face as he fended off the demons attacking him.

"Turn around," Giles said, moving over to Wesley. "The knots are fairly loose. I think I can untie you." Giles turned so that his back was facing Wesley's back. Then he began to pick at Wesley's bonds. He could feel the ropes loosening as he worked on the knots. Finally, they gave way and Wesley slipped out of them. Wesley spun around and quickly untied Giles's rope. "Well, now is a good time for you to stake your first vampire under out of control circumstances," Giles observed.

"I think I'm ready," Wesley said confidently.

"I hope so," Giles retorted. "After all, we're massively outnumbered."

…………………………………

"So you dumped the body?" Xander asked. He, Cordelia, and Faith were gathered around Cordelia's dining room table. They had just ordered a pizza. The box sat in the middle of the table with the lid hanging open. Xander reached in to grab a second slice.

"Yeah," Faith replied. "Threw him in the water off the harbor."

"No one should find him," Cordelia added.

"What if they do?" Xander asked.

"Then we're screwed," Faith replied.

"We need to have a back up plan," Xander noted. "Just in case."

"What do you suggest?" Cordelia asked.

"Pack a bag?" Xander joked. "The Canadian border isn't that far away."

"Are you serious?" Cordelia asked.

"Why not," Xander replied. "It's better than going to jail."

"I think we're getting ahead of ourselves here," Faith interrupted. "Besides, I'd be the one going to jail, not either of you. You didn't do anything."

"We're accessories," Cordelia pointed out.

"Look, if they find his body and figure out what happened, I won't let anything happen to either of you, okay?" Faith said. "I don't want you getting in trouble for my mistakes."

"We're in this together, Faith," Cordelia said. "We're all taking care of each other now. Stop worrying."

"I think there's something more important that we're missing though," Xander said.

"What's that?" Faith asked, taking a bite of her slice of pizza and looking over at him.

"You said that Finch came to you for a reason. He wanted to see you. We need to find out why."

"How do you suggest we do that?" Cordelia asked.

"Break into his apartment. He probably had some information he wanted to give you. But he wouldn't have brought it with him," Xander said.

"Why not?" Faith asked.

"It would have been tactically unwise," Xander said. "He probably wanted something in return – protection, safe passage somewhere. If he handed the information over to you the first time he met with you, than there would be no reason for you to honor any agreement."

"Good point," Faith said.

"So we need to find out where this guy lives," Cordelia said. "I should have a phone book around here somewhere. His name should be in there." Cordelia rose out of her seat, moving out of the room in search for the phone book. Faith turned to Xander and sighed.

"I really appreciate your help," Faith said. Xander smiled and nodded.

"You know that I would do anything for you," Xander said, reaching over, and taking Faith's hand in his.

"I know," Faith said. Leaning over, she gently pressed her lips against his. Pulling back, she leaned her head against his chest, sighing contently as she let the rhythm of his heart calm her nerves.

"Everything's going to be okay," Xander said, rubbing soothing circles on her back with his hand. "I promise."

"Yeah?" Faith said. "No one's ever promised me anything before."

"Well, I think you'll come to find that I never break my promises. I'm very true to my word," Xander replied. Faith smiled and pulled away, settling back in her seat as Cordelia reentered the room with the phone book in her hand.

"Okay, let's see where Alan Finch resided," Cordelia said, flipping the book open. Locating his name, she smiled and scribbled his address down on a piece of paper.

"So when do we want to do this?" Faith asked.

"Tonight," Xander said. "Before anyone realizes that he's missing."

Cordelia nodded. "I agree."

Faith sighed, realizing that there was no going back now. "Let's get this done."


	57. Bad Girls Finale

The Quickening

Previously:

"I want to see my amulet. I don't care how you procure it. Just get it. Use any and all resources available to you. Understand?" Balthazar said. Vincent nodded.

"Whatever you require."

Chapter Fifty-Six:

Vincent waited in utter silence. He had managed to sneak into the Mayor's office unheeded. After looking for a suitable place to hide, he chose the closet in which the Mayor kept some of his more unsavory knickknacks. Vincent gazed at the supernatural paraphernalia surrounding him on the neatly arranged shelves and smiled. The citizens of Sunnydale had no idea how entrenched their government was in darkness and evil. Adjusting his grip on his sword, he determined that he would wait as long as it took for the Mayor to come back for the evening. Balthazar had instructed him to find the amulet in any way necessary. Vincent was not the smartest of vampires, but he knew that the Mayor of Sunnydale was aware of everything that happened in his town. The easiest way to find the amulet would be to coerce the Mayor into telling him where it was located and who currently possessed it.

The Mayor was only human, after all, and Vincent was certain that he would crumble under the pressure of Vincent's sword pressed against his throat. Balthazar had always called Vincent his most noble and fierce warrior. Surely the Mayor would tremble before him. Vincent was ripped out of his thoughts by the sound of the Mayor entering the office. Another individual, who Vincent instantly recognized as a vampire from his scent, followed him. Vincent watched them through slits in the door. He had seen the tall, black man around town and knew that his name was Mr. Trick. He was one of the Mayor's most devoted lapdogs, mostly from fear for his life rather than any devotional feeling. Vincent could hear them talking through the door in muffled tones. He had not anticipated another person being present when he attacked the Mayor. He would have to take care of Mr. Trick first.

"He's late," Trick said gruffly.

"I know and it's completely unlike him. Alan is usually so very punctual," the Mayor replied in his usually cheery voice. Vincent tightly gripped his sword, closed his eyes briefly, and then burst out of the closet. The door flew off its hinges, clattering on the floor.

"Die!" Vincent yelled as he charged at Mr. Trick. Trick sidestepped him and elbowed him in the back of the head. The last thing Vincent saw before the world went black was his sword slipping from his hand and Mr. Trick standing smugly over him.

………………………..

Buffy looked around the room. The fight had gone well, although, they all seemed to be rather tired. "Everyone okay?" She asked as Wesley, Giles, and Angel gathered around her.

"Been better," Angel replied, nursing his side.

"Hasn't been the best evening of my life," Giles added, wiping some blood off of his forehead.

"I staked a vampire," Wesley beamed. He was smiling so large that his sparkling, white teeth seemed too big for his head.

"Congratulations," Giles said rather unenthusiastically as he slapped Wesley on the back.

"It was quite exciting," Wesley stated.

"We know, Wesley, we were there," Buffy replied.

"Well," Wesley said indignantly, "I'm just saying, it wasn't all a loss."

"No, it wasn't," Giles said. "We have the amulet, El Eliminati is for the most part entirely disbanded, and Balthazar is dead." The group turned to look at the demon. He was still smoking from the electrical wires Buffy had dumped into his tank of water. The reek of his burning flesh was beginning to fill the warehouse.

"You ever wonder what happens to stuff like that?" Buffy asked suddenly. "I mean, this place has to belong to someone. What happens when someone comes in here one day and sees _that_?"

"I really have no idea," Giles said, removing his glasses and cleaning them on the front of his shirt. "I've never thought of it before."

"Might I suggest that we leave?" Wesley interrupted. "He's emitting a rather ungodly smell."

"I agree," Angel replied. "And I don't even have to breath. Let's get out of here." Buffy nodded and followed the group as they walked out of the warehouse.

"Where are we heading?" She asked as they walked down the street.

"Back to the library," Giles answered. "We can store the amulet there from now on. It shouldn't pose any danger."

"Agreed," Wesley chipped in.

"I wanted to ask you," Giles said, falling back to walk beside Buffy as Angel and Wesley moved forward, "where was Faith tonight?"

Buffy looked down at the street and sighed heavily. "I hate to say this, Giles, but we really need to talk."

……………………..

Cordelia and Xander gathered around Faith as she attempted to pick the lock on Alan Finch's front door. "Just add breaking and entering to my list of crimes for the night," she muttered to herself.

"Where did you learn to do this?" Cordelia asked, watching intently.

"Trying to pick up some pointers?" Xander asked, smiling at her eagerness.

"No," Cordelia quickly said, defending herself. "But it seems like a good skill to have."

"I ran with a rough crew back in Boston. We used to break into shit all the time," Faith replied. "Some things you just don't forget how to do." Faith smiled as the lock clicked and the door slid open. "Bingo," she replied. Pushing the door open, she stepped inside of the apartment.

"Lights on or off?" Xander asked, pausing in the doorway.

"Off, dumbass," Cordelia replied, pushing past him. "That's why we brought the flashlights. We don't want to attract any unnecessary attention."

"It would be easier with the lights on, that's all I'm saying," Xander grumbled.

"Valid point," Faith said, trying to bolster his confidence, while playing the peacemaker. "But we'd also get caught." Switching their flashlights on, the group fanned out, searching for anything that Alan might have been hiding from the Mayor.

"If I was illegally obtained evidence against a huge governmental scandal, where would I be?" Cordelia muttered to herself as she walked around the rather sparsely furnished apartment.

"Not over there," Faith said, pointing her flashlight at Xander, who was raiding Alan's store of alcohol.

"What?" Xander asked, clutching a bottle of Jack Daniels. "It's not like he's going to need it anymore."

"Have some respect," Cordelia said in exasperation.

"Fine," Xander grumbled, setting the bottle back down where he found it.

"Wipe off your fingerprints," Faith said handing him a tissue. He obliged, wiping the bottle clean before focusing on the task at hand. "We don't want anyone to know that we were here."

"Hey," Cordelia said suddenly. "I think I found something."

"What is it?" Xander asked as he and Faith moved over to where Cordelia was standing.

"Our secret information," she said, pointing the flashlight at a safe in the corner of the room.

"I think I can pick it up," Faith said, moving over to it.

"That's great, but why would you?" Cordelia asked.

"It'll take too long to break into it here," Faith explained. "The less time we spend in this apartment, the better off we'll be."

"Good point," Cordelia conceded. "So grab it and let's get out of here." Faith nodded and picked up the safe. It was not very heavy and Faith imagined that there was not much inside of it. They filed out of the apartment. Cordelia wiped the doorknob down with another tissue before locking the door.

"Good as new," she said, admiring her work.

"Excellent. Let's go," Faith said. Sneaking back down the hallway, they exited out of an emergency door on the side of the building. Faith placed the safe in the backseat of Xander's car and covered it with a blanket. When they had all situated themselves in the car, Xander stuck in the key in the ignition. The engine roared to life with a rumble.

"Where to?" He asked.

"Your place," Faith replied. "It's closer." Xander nodded and pulled out onto the street. Faith looked over at the safe. She could break into buildings without a problem, but she had never tried to break into a safe. Sighing, she laid a hand down on top of the metal box. It was going to be a long night.

……………………………

Vincent glared angrily out of the metal bars of his cage. He had been caught. Balthazar would not be pleased when he discovered that Vincent had failed. Vincent shuddered, thinking of what his master might to do him if he were to escape and report back. "Well, well," the Mayor said, moving around to the front of the cage where Vincent could see him. "Look who's awake."

"I will tell you nothing," Vincent stated boldly.

"That's great," the Mayor replied happily. "I wasn't planning on asking you anything. Now, Mr. Trick, please open the door."

"What?" Trick asked, looking over at him in surprise.

"You heard me," the Mayor said, nodding at the cage. "Open the door." Trick nodded warily and opened the cage door. Vincent spotted his sword propped up against the desk. Rushing out of the cage, he grabbed the sword and plunged it into the Mayor's head before Trick had a chance to react. Vincent watched proudly as the head split in two. However, his pride suddenly turned to confusion as the head began to knit itself back together.

"What the hell," Vincent muttered to himself when the head had entirely reassembled itself. The Mayor smiled.

"If you don't mind," he said to Mr. Trick. Trick nodded and staked Vincent in the back. Vincent's eyes went wide for a moment before he exploded into dust.

"That's that," the Mayor said, smiling in satisfaction. "So, what's next on my agenda?"


	58. The Talk

The Quickening

Previously:

"You heard me," the Mayor said, nodding at the cage. "Open the door." Trick nodded warily and opened the cage door. Vincent spotted his sword propped up against the desk. Rushing out of the cage, he grabbed the sword and plunged it into the Mayor's head before Trick had a chance to react. Vincent watched proudly as the head split in two. However, his pride suddenly turned to confusion as the head began to knit itself back together.

Chapter Fifty-Seven: 

Cordelia closed the file folder and sighed. "This is bad, you guys," she said gravely. It had taken Faith nearly half of the night to figure out how to break open the safe, but eventually she had successfully cracked it. There had only been one item inside of it, something of such apparent value that it had to be hidden from prying eyes. A thin manila folder had been propped up inside of the small, gray box. They had all read the folder, their hopes sinking as the information contained within began to unfold itself.

They had feared that the government of Sunnydale was somehow involved in the occult; however, they did not imagine that the corruption spread so far. "What are we going to do?" Xander asked, running a tired hand through his hair. He had gotten no sleep that night and it felt to him that the weight of the world was beginning to sink onto his shoulders. He looked around his kitchen table at the two women sitting with him and saw their shoulders sagging as well. The world had seemed to condense into that one room. It was almost as if the entire fate of mankind lay in their hands and they were helpless to do anything.

"We have to go to Giles," Faith said softly. Her words were greeted by utter silence as the others considered what such a proposition meant. They would have to disclose how they obtained the folder.

"What do we tell him?" Cordelia asked, pushing the folder back in the middle of the kitchen table.

"Don't worry about that," Faith said. "I'll tell him everything."

"We'll be there for you," Xander said warmly.

Faith smiled, but shook her head. "No," she replied. "I don't want either of you there. This is something that I have to do myself."

"Are you sure?" Cordelia asked, though she knew better than to argue with Faith when she had made up her mind on something.

"Yeah," Faith said. "I need to talk to him about this. He'll appreciate it more coming from me. I think he'll understand." Faith had initially resisted talking to Giles about what had happened that night. However, the more she thought about it, the more she knew that they needed Giles on their side. She was terrified that he would reject her for killing Alan. Though she had become comfortable in Sunnydale and comfortable in her new home, she always feared that something would drive a wedge between her and her newfound happiness. That something had finally occurred and Faith wanted to make sure that she preserved everything in her life as best she could before it all fell apart.

"If you think so," Xander said sighing. He knew that the rest of the Scooby Gang could be irrationally judgmental. He had seen it before in Giles, Willow, and Buffy. He hoped that the bond between Giles and Faith was strong enough.

Faith reached across the table and grabbed the file folder. She held it as if it were a precious thing. "I'm going to go take this to him," Faith said, sliding back in her chair, and rising to her feet. "I may not be back for a while. I'll come back when we're done though," she said.

"Take your time," Cordelia replied as she and Xander saw Faith to the door. Once Faith had left, Xander turned to Cordelia.

"Do you think this is a good idea?" Xander asked.

"I'm not sure," Cordelia replied honestly. "But if she thinks that it's for the best, we have to trust her. I have an even more important question to ask though."

"What's that?" Xander asked, shoving his hands in his pockets.

"Can you get me a pillow? I'm crashing on your couch," Cordelia said smirking. Xander smiled and nodded.

"One pillow, coming right up."

…………………

Faith slowly walked across town. The sun was starting to come up over the horizon in a splendid array of gold and red. Faith stopped for a moment and let the sun's light graze her face. She could feel its warmth despite the lingering chill of the evening. When she opened her eyes, she sighed loudly and continued walking. A police car passed her and Faith involuntarily looked down at the ground, hiding her face. She had no reason to believe that anyone suspected her of anything; yet, she could not help but feel paranoid that someone was looking for her. After all, the Mayor would realize eventually that Alan was missing. Once he did, she could only imagine the manhunt he would instigate in order to find his missing deputy mayor. Alan knew far too much to simply disappear off the face of the earth. The Mayor would want to make sure that Alan was not planning on talking about what he had seen and done while working with the Sunnydale government.

The police car continued down the street without even slowing. Faith let out a slow, long breath and softly chuckled to herself. The walk to the apartment she shared with Giles was not that long and, before she knew it, Faith was standing in front of the front door. She pulled her key out of her pocket with a shaky hand and inserted it into the lock. The door slid open and Faith stepped inside. Turning, she immediately saw a light on in the kitchen. She could sense a presence there and she instinctively knew it to be Giles. Moving to the kitchen, she paused in the doorway and watched as Giles poured himself a cup of tea. His back was to her and, for a moment, Faith pretended that it was a normal morning just like any other.

"Faith," Giles said, interrupting Faith's happy reverie.

"Hey," Faith responded, her voice cracking a little. "I need to talk to you."

Giles turned and set his cup of tea down on the kitchen table. Pulling out a chair, he sat and folded his hands in front of him. "Please, sit," he said, motioning to one of the chairs. Buffy had already told him about everything that had happened the night before. However, he wanted Faith to tell him as well. He knew that this was a critical moment for her. She could choose to be honest with him, and thus liberate herself from the guilt of the accident, or she could lie to him and bury herself in blame in recrimination.

Faith slowly sat down at the table and placed the file folder in front of her. "Something happened last night," she began. "Buffy and I were in this alley by the warehouse district. We had just given Angel the amulet and were leaving the Bronze. Vampires started attacking us from every angle. This vampire…or so I thought…jumped out at me. I staked him. I didn't realize it at the time, but he was human. I could feel it as soon as the stake went in. I could feel his heart beating through the wood," Faith said, pausing as she shuddered at the memory. Closing her eyes, she focused on slowing her heartbeat, which had sped up rapidly as her anxiety increased.

"Faith," Giles said, slowly reaching across the table and taking one of her cold, clammy hands. "It's alright," he continued. "You have to continue."

"I freaked out and ran," Faith said. "I think Buffy did too. I didn't really stick around to find out."

"What happened after that?" Giles asked. He knew only as much as Buffy did. He was as much in the dark as anyone else about the rest of the events that had transpired that evening.

"I went to Cordelia's house. We talked about things and we both agreed that we needed to get rid of the body," Faith explained, noting how Giles's eyebrows shot up at her words. "After I staked the man, he said something to Buffy. Something about having been looking for her. I told that to Cordelia and we both thought it would be best to figure out why the guy was looking for us to begin with. When we got to the alley, Cordelia recognized him."

"Who was he?" Giles asked, intrigued.

"Alan Finch," Faith replied.

"The deputy mayor," Giles said.

"Yeah," Faith said. "You're not going to like this next part," Faith warned. "We figured that the best way to figure out why Alan Finch was looking for us was to go looking for him. So we broke into his apartment to find out what he had wanted to meet with Buffy for. While we were there, we discovered a safe. Inside of it was this folder," Faith said, sliding it across the table.

"Where is the safe now? Is it in the apartment still?" Giles asked.

"No," Faith replied. "We took it."

"It's in Xander's apartment," Giles stated.

"Yes," Faith replied.

"We need to get rid of that safe," Giles said as he flipped open the folder. Faith watched him as he read. "My God," he said as the contents of the folder became clear to him. "The Mayor is trying to ascend into a demon."

"And apparently he's invincible," Faith added.

"This isn't good," Giles said. "And while I don't approve of your methods for obtaining this evidence, I must admit that we need it terribly."

Faith nodded and looked down at the table. "What are my options?"

Giles sighed and squeezed her hand gently. "Where did you dump the body?"

"In the harbor," she replied.

"Well, I don't think we'll need to worry about Alan Finch resurfacing. If he does, there shouldn't be any evidence on his person to connect you to him. What happened to the stake?"

"I still have it," Faith said.

"We'll burn it. We need to dump the safe as well. Faith," Giles said, capturing her attention, "what happened was an accident. I'm not saying that you shouldn't feel guilty for it, or that there should be no consequences, but there's no reason to punish you for what happened."

"So what are the consequences?" Faith asked.

"I want you to talk to Angel," Giles said. "I may not particularly like the man, but he knows that it's like to kill a person. He can help you talk through your issues. I know you don't like to talk about things," Giles said off her look, "but you need to. If you don't, darkness will build up inside of you until it consumes you entirely. You need to let it out."

"If you think it'll help," Faith said skeptically.

"I do," Giles replied, smiling. "Until then, might I suggest you get some sleep? You look quite tired."

"What about the Council?" Faith asked as she rose to her feet.

"I don't see a reason to tell them anything," Giles replied. "But might I suggest we leave Wesley out of the loop in this. I fear he won't agree with us on that point."

"I won't say a word if you don't," Faith said smiling. "Good night."

"Good morning," Giles corrected as Faith disappeared into her room. Giles looked down at the folder. Things were going to take a turn for the worse in Sunnydale.


	59. Bright Ideas

The Quickening

Notes: Sorry for the lack of updates, but I've started my internship and I don't have a lot of time. That should change in a few weeks. Thanks for the reviews.

Previously:

"I want you to talk to Angel," Giles said. "I may not particularly like the man, but he knows that it's like to kill a person. He can help you talk through your issues. I know you don't like to talk about things," Giles said off her look, "but you need to. If you don't, darkness will build up inside of you until it consumes you entirely. You need to let it out."

Chapter Fifty-Eight:

Faith fell into an uneasy sleep after her exchange with Giles in the kitchen. Though her mind was relieved that he took her news without recrimination, she could not help but feel as if she was changing. The feel of Alan Finch's blood on her hands had awoken some primitive feeling inside of her soul. She could feel something squirming inside of her, begging and pleading to be released. However, Faith was terrified of what would happen if she gave in to the primordial call haunting her mind. She did not dream of anything for the longest time. Her mind was a blank slate, black as the night, and empty as the void of the universe. Then images began to flood her vision. She could vividly see Alan's face as she plunged the stake into his heart – the disbelief and sudden pain as the wood pierced his flesh and ended his life. He had thought that she would help him and, instead, she had killed him.

She could see the look of horror on Buffy's face as she pulled her hand away from Alan's dead body after failing to revive him. The look spoke volumes to Faith. It told her that she would never be Buffy's sister slayer again. All of her hard work in gaining Buffy's respect and trust had been destroyed in a single second by a freak accident. The images shifted until she found herself standing in the center of an apartment. She instantly recognized it as the one from her previous dreams. However, instead of finding herself on the balcony, she found herself standing in the bedroom.

Faith waited for something to happen, but after several long moments, when nothing did, she took to gazing at her surroundings. The apartment seemed to be hers, though she knew she would never be able to afford anything like it. The bed was made with silk sheets that felt cool and soft under her inquiring touch. There was a stack of comic books on the bedside table. Track lighting lit the place in a dim, ethereal glow. Faith moved further into the apartment and noticed that it was stocked with every technological advancement she could have wanted. A large television sat in the corner with Playstation controllers lying in front of it. Her eyes drifted to the sliding glass door leading to the balcony. Though she was tempted to walk outside to take in the view, something warned her not to leave the safety that the apartment afforded.

"So what do you think?" A voice asked from behind her. Faith quickly turned to find a man standing in the doorway. She did not instantly recognize him, though his face seemed familiar to her somehow. As Faith watched him wander aimlessly through the apartment, surveying it as if giving it his approval, she recognized him from the television. Her blood ran cold when she realized that the man invading her dream was none other than Mayor Wilkins himself; their new dreaded enemy.

"What?" Faith asked in surprise, wondering why Wilkins was talking to her as if she were his equal in some way.

"Do you like your new place?" The Mayor asked again with a chuckle. "I want you to have everything you want, Faith, so if something isn't right, just let me know."

"This is my place," Faith stated, looking around the apartment again. She had felt almost at home within its walls, though it still seemed foreign to her.

"I know, it's a lot. But you're very important to me, Faith," the Mayor said sincerely, looking into her eyes as he spoke. Faith looked back at him and felt something warm stirring in her heart. She knew that the Mayor was a soulless creature, but she felt that his words were truly sincere.

"I am?" Faith asked. The Mayor chuckled at her question and shook his head.

"Always needing encouragement, Faith? Of course you are. You're essential to everything I want to do here in Sunnydale. And I want you to have everything you want. So look around, tell me if something isn't right," he replied.

Faith turned away from him, chills running up and down her spine. She did not like how comfortable he seemed around her, as if they were allies. Faith knew that she would never align herself with someone so evil as he, yet, she was surprised at her own comfort in being near him. "It looks fine," Faith absently replied.

"Good," the Mayor replied, plopping down in an easy chair. He watched her as she paced uneasily around the apartment.

"Is everything alright? You seem a little discombobulated today," the Mayor said good-naturedly.

"Yeah, everything's fine," Faith replied, turning to face him, and plastering a fake smile on her face.

"There now, that's what I like to see," Wilkins said happily.

"So what's the plan, Boss?" Faith asked, the nickname unconsciously rolling off her tongue.

"The plan?" The Mayor asked, raising his eyebrows slightly. "The plan is the same as always. Infiltrate them. Find out everything they know about me and tell me everything. I want you to be their best friend. It's like the old saying, Faith, 'keep your friends close, but your enemies closer,'" The Mayor said, rising to his feet. "I'm glad you like the place," he added, moving over to her and squeezing her shoulder. "See you later, kiddo."

Faith awoke with a start, nearly falling out of her bed as she did. The dream had entirely unnerved her. She knew that it was a slayer dream, just like her dreams of Alan had been, though she did not know it at the time. Those dreams had come true and, as Faith sat in her bed trying to calm her raging heart, she knew that she could not let her new dreams come true as well. She could not imagine betraying the people she had come to love, but she knew in her heart that she had the capability to do so. She could feel something dark stirring in her soul, something that longed to cause pain and suffering to everyone she cared about.

"Faith?" Giles asked, knocking on her half closed bedroom door and pushing it open. He stood inside the doorway, awaiting her permission to enter.

"Yeah?" Faith asked faintly, still trying to recover from her dream.

"What's the matter?" Giles asked, moving into the room. Faith watched him, noting how, as she regarded Giles as a father figure, she had seemed to regard the Mayor as the same in her dream.

"I had a strange dream, that's all," Faith replied, running a hand through her wild, dark hair.

"What kind of dream?" Giles asked, sitting on the side of her bed. Faith swung her legs over the side so that she was sitting next to him.

"I dreamt that I was in an apartment. It was mine apparently, the Mayor gave it to me. He was talking to me about infiltrating 'them' and finding out everything 'they' knew. He said I was important to him," Faith replied, looking over at Giles. Her heart sank at the disconcerted look on his face.

"A slayer dream?" Giles asked, though he already knew the answer.

"Yeah," Faith nodded slowly. "I had dreams like that just before I killed Alan."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Giles asked softly.

"I didn't think it was important," Faith lied.

"Faith…," Giles started. Faith sighed and looked down at her hands.

"They freaked me out, okay? I didn't know what they meant. But I didn't want anyone to know about them," Faith replied.

"I understand," Giles responded. "It's hard to admit to the darkness in us," he said knowing. "But you have to tell me about your dreams when you have them. Hopefully, we'll be able to prevent anything else from happening."

"Yeah," Faith said absently. "Although…"

"What?" Giles asked wearily, looking over at her as if he somehow knew that what she was about to suggest would cause more trouble than good.

"What if we did exactly what the dream suggested?" Faith asked.

"How do you mean?"

"What if I went to the Mayor and pretended to be on his side. I could find out everything about what he was planning and report back to you," Faith suggested.

"No," Giles instantly replied. "We need you on our side always, Faith."

"You're afraid that I would stop pretending," Faith said, reading between his words.

"I just don't think it's wise," Giles replied carefully. Faith sighed and nodded.

"Whatever you say, G-man," Faith responded disappointedly.

"However, the plan might work in another way," Giles said brightly, an idea suddenly dawning on him.

"How?"

"If we sent someone else. Someone that the Mayor would never suspect was playing both sides," Giles answered.

"Like who?"

Giles smiled a little, knowing the reaction that his next statement would receive. "Cordelia."


	60. The Heart of Darkness

The Quickening

Notes: Sorry for the rather lengthy delay in updates, but I've been rather ill, and haven't left my bed until yesterday practically. The updates should be a bit more regular now. Again, sorry to keep you guys waiting.

Previously:

"However, the plan might work in another way," Giles said brightly, an idea suddenly dawning on him. "If we sent someone else. Someone that the Mayor would never suspect was playing both sides."

"Like who?"

Giles smiled a little, knowing the reaction that his next statement would receive. "Cordelia."

Chapter Fifty-Nine:

Cordelia had found herself in many precarious situations since she fell in with the Scooby Gang several years ago. She had fought off foul and dangerous monsters, averted a few apocalypses, and saved a few lives. But she had never walked into the heart of darkness, knowing in explicit detail what that darkness was, without the intent of walking out again. Cordelia sighed and closed her eyes. She had never been the reliable one in the Scooby Gang. Why her name had popped up in Giles's mind for this particular covert mission, she would never know, but it had to have been a big inside joke for the Powers that Be.

She could hear her heart pounding in her chest. She wondered if the Mayor would be able to hear it beating so loudly as well, when she went into his office for the first day of her internship. Everything had fallen into place. The Scooby Gang decided that they needed a person on the inside, even in a menial capacity, who could snoop around to try to figure out what the Mayor had in store for Sunnydale. The next day, the Mayor's office announced that the Mayor would be sponsoring an internship for one lucky Sunnydale High School student, in order to foster political awareness and activism amongst the youth. It had been fate. Cordelia applied and Willow had hacked into the internship program's computer files in order to manipulate Cordelia's acceptance.

Cordelia knew that she never would have been accepted legitimately otherwise. There were far more qualified people who had applied. However, she also knew that if the Mayor had seen her name in the stack of applicants, he might have been intrigued on his own. The Mayor seemed to have an ear to the ground, so to speak, and knew much of what went on in town. Particularly, he knew a great deal about the slayers. Part of that information surely included who they spent their time with, Cordelia being one of those individuals. The Mayor could have seen her application as a chance to infiltrate his way into the inner core of the Scooby Gang. On the other hand, he may not have recognized her name at all. Either way, Cordelia was in and she had a job to do.

It had been several days since the disappearance of Alan Finch. The town had been in an uproar over it, as the Mayor was convinced that foul play had been involved. The police had been searching every dark corner in Sunnydale looking for a body. Thus far, they had not turned up anything useful in the way of evidence. As a precaution, Giles had disposed of the safe she, Faith, and Xander stole from Alan Finch's apartment. In addition, they had destroyed the stake used in the accidental killing. The most incriminating evidence would come if the police did find a body. Giles had reinforced Cordelia's notion that the wound on the body would contain splinters from the stake used in the killing.

Buffy had quite a record at Sunnydale High. The most notable blemish on her record, other than the burning down of the Hemory High gym in Los Angeles, had been her implication in the murder of a girl in the Sunnydale High library. The girl had been in possession of a wooden weapon – a stake – at the time of her death. Wooden splinters in Alan Finch's heart would bring all of that to mind for the Sunnydale police department. If Buffy were implicated in Alan's murder, it would only be a matter of time before Faith was as well. Cordelia knew that Faith could be strong, but if the police applied the right kind of pressure, she also knew that Faith would crack.

Cordelia looked down at the glowing, neon blue numbers of her dashboard clock and sighed. It was time for her to go in and meet the Mayor for her first day of her internship. She was incredibly nervous. She knew that the Mayor was planning to ascend into a powerful demon. But other than that, she and the others had been left in the dark. Alan must have known more than he kept on paper. But whatever he had known, it had died with him. They needed to know when he planned to ascend, into what, and how that would affect Sunnydale. Most importantly, they needed to know how to kill him when he did ascend. Cordelia thought that they should simply find the Mayor in a dark alley one night and slice his head off. It would save them countless hours of research and investigative work and it would ensure that the Mayor never ascended. But, she imagined that Giles would have a problem with them assassinating a public figure without more information. As far as they knew, the Mayor had not hurt anyone yet.

Stepping out of her car, she locked it behind her and moved forward onto the sidewalk. The Mayor's office loomed in front of her, a rather depressing building constructed out of gray stone. The palm trees swaying gently before it seemed out of place, too happy and bright to stand in front of the office of an evil politician. The sun was just sinking below the horizon as Cordelia walked. She repressed a shudder and moved forward, absently smoothing her skirt. She had dressed to kill for her first day, hoping to impress the people she would be working with and, thus, solidify her position there. She had to admit that her usual confidence was lacking. She did not know what to expect out of her duties as an intern in a politician's office. She imagined that she would be chained to the copy machine nearly the entire time. However, she was not accustomed to doing office work and she felt like a fish flailing out of water.

Pulling open the front doors, she stepped inside. Smiling brightly at the receptionist, she introduced herself. The woman at the desk seemed nice enough and Cordelia wondered if anyone that worked there really knew what the Mayor was, or if they all thought he was a harmless, middle-aged man. The receptionist buzzed the Mayor's office and told Cordelia to wait a few moments until someone came down for her. Cordelia nodded politely and moved over to a bank of chairs lining the wall. Crossing her legs, she folded her hands in her lap and waited. Time seemed to creep by slowly, people coming in and out, before someone finally walked up to her.

Cordelia watched as a young, black man stopped in front of her. His head was shaven and he was dressed immaculately in a professionally tailored suit. The colors were a bit wild for a conventional office; the man seemed perfectly capable of pulling the combination off without looking ridiculous, however. Cordelia quickly stood and smiled warmly as the man looked her over. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Chase," he said in a slight Southern drawl and extended his hand. "My name's Mr. Trick. I'll be taking you up to meet the Mayor."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, as well," Cordelia said, gripping his extended hand. She instantly noted that his skin felt like ice. Looking into his eyes, she realized that she was staring into the eyes of a soulless creature of the night. Trying not to let the knowledge show on her face, she smiled easily and let Mr. Trick lead the way. The Mayor had a vampire working directly for him. Any thoughts of the Mayor as an unwitting participant in some larger plan faded from Cordelia's mind. The man was evil, pure and simple, and she was about to meet him face to face.

…………………………

"You've got a lot of books, big guy," Faith said as she absently wandered through Angel's living room. He watched her from the sofa, as if he was calculating her every move. When she had agreed to speak with Angel about Alan's death, she had not imagined that she would be trying to force a conversation.

"I've got a lot of time on my hands," Angel replied.

"Right, with the not being able to go out in the day thing," Faith said, spinning around to look at him. "That must suck."

"It has its moments," Angel replied dryly. "But we're not really here to talk about me, are we?"

"No, we're not," Faith said sighing. Angel had finally gotten to the point and, suddenly, she did not feel quite so eager to talk anymore.

"You want to sit down or just keep pacing in front of the fire place?" Angel asked jokingly. Faith glared over at him. "Fine, do whatever works."

"Look, the only reason I'm here is because Giles thinks I'm going to go all dark slayer and start mass murdering people or something," Faith replied.

"Are you?" Angel asked abruptly.

"Am I what?" Faith asked.

"Going to start mass murdering people?"

"No," Faith said angrily. "That's the point, he's way off base."

"But you could. If you wanted to, you could," Angel said offhandedly.

"Yeah, I could," Faith replied, unsure of where he was heading with that line of thought.

"And not simply because you're more powerful than everyone else. You could kill people because you have something in you that would allow you to," Angel said. "We all have it. Once that thing gets a taste of the power that comes with killing your first person, it wants more. It always wants more, constantly."

"So what you're saying is that I've fed the beast and now it wants to come out to play?" Faith asked, as she sat across from Angel on another sofa.

"Generally speaking, yes. It's different with vampires because we have to kill in order to survive. We need more blood than the body will allow us to take. But humans kill out of a pleasure that it gives them – a sense of power over everyone else. Yes, you may be stronger than every person alive in the world today, but you still feel helpless sometimes. There are still those people who make you feel like you're nothing. But once you know that you have the power to kill those people, to make them the unworthy ones, than it's that much harder to resist the urge. Alan, he was an accident. No one is saying otherwise. But what if someone pisses you off? What if someone hurts you more than you can handle? Can you guarantee without a doubt that you wouldn't try to hurt them back?" Angel asked.

Faith looked down at her hands. "No," she said lowly. "I can't." Angel nodded.

"Then you understand why you're here," he said. "You can't fly off the handle. You're too strong. If you try to hurt someone, you will, badly. That can't happen."

"I know that," Faith responded.

Angel smiled a little, knowing that he was starting to piss her off. "Giles only sent you here because he cares about you. He knows that you're hurting. He knows that Alan's death has affected you far more than you're letting on. Faith, I just want to help you too. I mean, honestly, what have I got better to do all day anyway?" He asked, smiling more when he saw Faith's lips curl up into the tiniest of smiles. "I have all of these books, but it's been like two hundred years. I've read them all by now, several times."

Faith laughed a little and nodded her head. "I get it," she said.

"You don't have to tell me anything you don't want to. I'm just here for you is all. I think you'll find that if you open up to me, I can help you. I know a lot about what it's like to battle with something dark inside of you. I have that darkness in me all of the time. So do you. I can see it in your eyes. You have to constantly fight it off to keep it from taking control. But really, control is all we have. Control over ourselves. Everything else in the world can spiral into utter destruction and darkness and we can't stop it from happening, not really. But we can stop ourselves," Angel said, noting the shining light of understanding in Faith's eyes. "I think I've talked at you enough for today. Just remember, my door's always open."


	61. Body Snatchers

The Quickening

Previously:

Any thoughts of the Mayor as an unwitting participant in some larger plan faded from Cordelia's mind. The man was evil, pure and simple, and she was about to meet him face to face.

Chapter Sixty:

Cordelia took a deep breath. She felt as if she were about to dive into a dark, murky, and bottomless ocean. "Just relax," Mr. Trick said, looking over at her and smiling. "First time in an office, huh?"

"Yeah," Cordelia said, nodding slightly. "I'm just a little nervous."

"Oh, there's nothing to be nervous about," Trick said. "The Mayor's very nice."

Cordelia smiled. "I'm sure he is." She did not particularly think that 'nice' was an appropriate word to use to describe a soulless monster.

"Ready?" Trick asked.

"I'm good," Cordelia responded. Trick knocked swiftly on the Mayor's office door. A chipper voice answered from inside and Trick opened the door. The first thing that Cordelia noticed was the office's cozy atmosphere and décor. The curtains were drawn over the windows, the lamps casting deep shadows on the floor, and the walls were painted in shades of deep green and blue. The Mayor had taste, Cordelia had to admit it.

"Ah, you must be our new intern," the Mayor said, rising to his feet behind his desk. "I'm Mayor Wilkins. But you can just call me Richard, if you want."

"Hi, Richard," Cordelia said awkwardly, reaching out to shake his extended hand. The Mayor had a firm grip. His hand squeezed hers with just the right amount of pressure. Cordelia imagined that, as a public figure, he had a good deal of practice shaking hands with people. She, on the other hand, had virtually no practice shaking hands with people. Her grip seemed limp and hesitant in comparison with his and Cordelia felt, not for the first time that day, that the Mayor was going to be able to see through her true intentions.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Cordelia. I hope you have a good experience here with us. Don't worry, we won't work you too hard," the Mayor joked. "And just keep in mind, that if you have any questions, I'm here."

"Thank you," Cordelia replied. "I'm sure I'll fit in nicely."

"I'm sure you will too," Wilkins replied. "Mr. Trick, if you don't mind…" he said, motioning towards the door.

"Of course," Trick said. Looking over at Cordelia for a moment, he moved over to the door and quickly exited. Cordelia felt strangely uncomfortable now that the vampire had left. Even though Trick was obviously evil, she felt worse being alone with the Mayor. She had no idea the level of evil to which the Mayor had sunk and, though she was all for helping out the team, she was starting to regret her decision to agree to the plan.

"Have a seat," the Mayor said, pointing to the chair across from him. Cordelia looked down at the chair with trepidation, but swallowed her fear, and sat. The Mayor joined her and smiled widely. "So, you go to Sunnydale High School then? A quality establishment, I hear. I'm very proud of the young people of Sunnydale. The future of this country lies in your hands. It's very exciting," Wilkins said enthusiastically.

"I'm a senior there," Cordelia replied. She understood what Trick meant when he said that the Mayor was nice. He seemed to exude friendliness with his relaxed demeanor and easy smile.

"Must have lots of friends," the Mayor said knowingly. "You know, I'm going to be speaking at your graduation."

"Oh really?" Cordelia asked, suddenly intrigued. She knew that the Mayor was trying to pump her for information. However, her instincts told her that the perfect opportunity to pump him for information had just presented itself.

"Yes, I feel that it's incredibly important to connect with young people. They need a little guidance in their lives, to know that adults aren't the enemy, so to speak," Wilkins said, air quoting with his fingers the word 'enemy.'

"What are you planning on speaking about?" Cordelia asked interestedly as she crossed her legs and leaned forward slightly on her elbows.

"You'll just have to wait and see," the Mayor said, winking. "But I think you're going to find it very enlightening."

…………………

Faith turned on the television in Xander's apartment and sat down on the sofa. He was still at the library. Faith had left training early that night. Her heart was not in it and Giles knew it. Wesley had been pushing her too hard. Faith was not certain that leaving the younger Watcher out of the loop about Alan Finch's death was wise, but as it was Giles's wish, she had not said anything. As a result, Wesley could not understand why Faith had recoiled when he handed her a stake that afternoon. As soon as Faith had touched the wood, she could feel Alan's heart beating against her fingertips. Giles had noticed the look on her face and had sent her home immediately, much to Wesley's annoyance. Faith, however, did not go home. She went to Xander's apartment instead. He had given her a key shortly after he moved in.

Faith sighed and flipped through the channels. The cartoon she had settled on was interrupted suddenly by a breaking news story. A reporter appeared on the screen down by the docks. "Shocking news in the small, quiet town of Sunnydale. Some local fishermen discovered a body this afternoon. The body has been identified as that of Alan Finch, the deputy Mayor of Sunnydale. No word has come from the Mayor's office as of this time. However, the police department has issued a statement, assuring the people of Sunnydale that Alan Finch's murderer will be caught."

Faith leaned forward, her face pale. "Oh shit," she muttered. Flipping off the television, she ran a hand through her hair absently. Her mind was reeling. She had been certain that Alan's body would never be discovered. Her worst fear had just been realized. "What am I gonna do?" She said, rising to her feet suddenly. She felt like breaking something. She was panicking. She knew that she needed to calm down, but her heart was racing and the blood pumping through her veins sounded like a mighty river to her ears. Her breath came in short gasps and she suddenly felt lightheaded. Sinking back down onto the sofa, she closed her eyes and tried to focus her breathing.

The phone rang, interrupting her. Glancing over at it fearfully, she reached over and picked up the receiver. "Hello?" She said shakily.

"Faith? It's Giles. I just saw the news. Come back to the library right away," Giles said as soothingly as he could, despite his own panic.

"Okay," Faith said before hanging up the phone. The apartment was overbearingly silent. Faith felt as though the walls were slowly creeping in around her, suffocating her. Jumping to her feet, she rushed over to the door and flung it open. The stale air of the hallway filled her nostrils. Closing the door, she locked it, and walked over to the stairwell. She had to try to think rationally. There was no need to panic yet. The police only had a body. They did not have any suspects, or any reason to think that Faith was involved in Alan's death. The more attention that she drew to herself, the worse it would be for her. She had to calm down.

Faith hurried down the stairs and pushed open the exit door. The last things that she wanted to see that moment were the happy palm trees swaying in the gentle breeze. But they greeted her as soon as she opened the door. She wanted to scream in frustration and beat her fists against the cracked, concrete sidewalk. A storm was raging inside of her and there was nothing she could do to dispel it. Her feet were leading her to the library when she suddenly stopped. She knew that Giles was expecting her, but there was somewhere else that she needed to go first. Redirecting her footsteps, she began walking towards Angel's mansion.

………………………

A knock on the door interrupted the conversation Cordelia was having with the Mayor. He looked mildly irritated, but the shadow of annoyance passed, and his face once again possessed its usual cheerfulness. It astounded Cordelia how easily he could switch between facades. He had been asking Cordelia about the high school. She had dropped Buffy's name, noting how his eyes lit up when he heard her mention the slayer. Cordelia knew that she had hooked him. She was having a more difficult time subtly extracting information from him, however. She knew that he was planning to speak at their graduation. Therefore, whatever he had planned was either happening on or after graduation. Cordelia never would have suspected the Mayor of being aligned with evil had she not already known it. She felt completely at ease speaking with him.

"Come in," the Mayor said, smiling at her. "Sorry for the interruption."

"It's quite alright," Cordelia replied.

"I wouldn't have knocked, but I thought you would want to know this," Trick said, stepping into the room as he opened the door.

"What is it?" The Mayor asked.

"The police have a body," Trick replied.

"Well, who's is it?" The Mayor asked curiously.

"Alan Finch," Trick stated. Cordelia felt her heart begin to race in her chest. Alan Finch's body had been found. They had not planned on the police ever finding his body. She knew that Faith would be panicking at that moment. Though she wanted to rush out of the office and comfort her best friend, she remained rooted in her chair.

"What?" The Mayor asked in shock. "Alan's dead?"

"It would appear so," Trick replied. "Would you like to issue a statement?"

"Right away," Wilkins said, rising to his feet. "I'm terribly sorry to leave you hanging like this," he said turning to Cordelia, "but duty calls. I'm sure my secretary will have something for you to do in the mean time."

"Of course," Cordelia said as Trick ushered her out of the Mayor's office and down the hall. Cordelia watched Trick retreat into the Mayor's office and close the door. Things were about to go from bad to worse for her and her friends.

……………………

Faith walked into the mansion, using her slayer senses to locate Angel. "Angel, you busy?" Faith asked shakily as she moved out onto the patio in the back. Angel was sitting on a plastic lawn chair, reading an ancient looking book.

"Not really, what's up?" Angel asked, flipping his book closed and watching as Faith paced back and forth in front of him.

"The police found Alan's body. They have it right now. They're gonna figure out everything that happened. I'm fucked, Angel," Faith ranted.

"Calm down," Angel said, rising to his feet and laying a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Nothing's happened yet."

"Yeah, yet," Faith reinforced. "I'm freaking out here."

"I know," Angel said. "Sit down." Faith complied, practically throwing herself in one of the lawn chairs.

"What am I gonna do?" Faith asked wearily. She ran a hand over her face and sighed.

"Whatever happens, we're behind you. Just remember that. The police aren't going to arrest you. We won't let it happen," Angel said. "The world needs you, Faith. They may not understand that, but we do. You're not going anywhere."

"What if they try to arrest Cordelia or Xander?" Faith asked, looking over at him. "It's my fault that they're involved at all."

Angel sat back in his chair, deep in thought. "Without a body, they won't have any proof."

"What are you talking about?" Faith asked.

"We need that body," Angel replied.

"I'm not following you here," Faith said.

"To put it simply," Angel said, "we need to break into the police station and steal the body."

"Are you crazy?" Faith asked.

"A little bit," Angel replied with a lopsided smile.

"That's absolutely insane," Faith responded. "But I like it."


	62. Playing Dead

The Quickening

Notes: Thanks for all of the reviews. Keep them coming; they give me inspiration. Sixty-one chapters with no discernible end in sight…. thanks for sticking with me guys.

Previously:

"To put it simply," Angel said, "we need to break into the police station and steal the body."

"Are you crazy?" Faith asked.

"A little bit," Angel replied with a lopsided smile.

"That's absolutely insane," Faith responded. "But I like it."

Chapter Sixty-One:

"Where is she?" Buffy asked impatiently. She and the others, minus Faith, Angel, and Cordelia, were gathered in the library awaiting Faith's arrival. Giles had talked to her on the telephone a half an hour ago and they were starting to get nervous. Faith had said that she was on her way, but it appeared as though she had either lied or decided to go someplace else instead.

"I don't know," Giles said in exasperation. Removing his glasses, he absently began to clean them with the front of his shirt. "I'm sure she'll be here soon. It is night out, perhaps she ran into some vampires."

"It's possible," Xander said. "I mean, she is a slayer and all. Comes with the territory."

"Or, she's gone off the deep end and isn't coming at all," Willow muttered under her breath.

"What?" Xander shot back, looking over at his best friend.

"You heard me," Willow replied boldly. "She killed someone, Xander. We don't know how she's reacting to that. The fact that she told us she'd come here and hasn't shown up, it speaks a lot to me."

"She killed someone accidentally, Will. It wasn't intentional. She's probably just freaking out about them finding the body," Xander argued back.

"Freaking out how? How do we know she won't do something bad?" Willow asked.

"We don't," Oz said slowly, interrupting them. "But that doesn't mean we can't have a little faith in her, forgive the pun."

"Thank you," Giles said. "Finally, a voice of reason. As far as we know, we have nothing to worry about. Let's try to remain calm despite all of this. It's a difficult situation. But panicking and pointing fingers isn't going to do any good."

"Sorry," Willow mumbled, looking down at the table.

"It's alright," Giles said, smiling softly when Willow looked back up at him. "You have nothing to be sorry for. You're simply concerned. It's alright to question things."

"In that vein," Buffy said, "again, I'll ask, where is she?"

Unbeknownst to the group, their conversation had reached the ears of an individual whom they had purposefully tried to keep in the dark. Wesley's face was grim as he eavesdropped on the group through the library doors. Faith had killed a human being. According to Xander, it had been an accident. However, the Council had strict protocols that had to be followed when dealing with slayers who took the lives of innocent people. The fact that the group had chosen to keep this information from him spoke volumes to him. Wesley realized that they did not trust him. Though he had already known that most of them did not particularly like him, he did not imagine that they would go so far as the cover up vital information about one of his slayers. Wesley knew what he had to do. He had to contact the Council immediately.

……………………………

"Are you sure we shouldn't go to Giles first?" Faith asked as she and Angel crept through the alley behind Sunnydale General.

"Positive," Angel said. He and Faith hid in the shadows of the alley, watching as police officers walked in and out of the morgue's entrance.

"We're so gonna get caught, Dead Boy," Faith said. "And then what're we gonna do?"

"I'll worry about that when it happens," Angel answered.

"Besides, isn't this against everything you've been trying to tell me these past few days. I mean, instead of stealing the body, shouldn't I be going to the police to confess my crimes so that I can relieve the burden of my guilt?" Faith asked. Angel looked over at her with a raised eyebrow, obviously impressed that she had been listening to him. "What? I do pay attention, you know," Faith said defensively.

"Wouldn't have thought," Angel retorted. "And no, I don't think turning yourself in is the best strategy here. The world needs you, Faith. Not behind bars, but out fighting the good fight. If you're behind bars, you can't exactly do that, can you? Hence stealing the body," Angel argued.

"Giles is gonna be pissed when he finds out what happened," Faith said. "And I'm not the one who's gonna be dealing with him."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Angel asked.

"This was your idea," Faith pointed out.

"I don't want to have to explain it to him," Angel said. "He hates me. He likes you. He'd understand better coming from you."

"Yeah, or he'd kick me out of the only stable home environment I've ever had," Faith replied.

"Fine," Angel grumbled. "I'll tell him."

"Good," Faith said. "So what's the plan here?"

"Well, we could always just walk in and see if they'll give us the body," Angel said.

"That was a joke, right?" Faith asked, looking over at him. Angel looked back at her, his face a mask of sincerity, before his lips curled up into the tiniest of smiles.

"Yeah, that was a joke," Angel relented. "I have a pretty brilliant plan, actually."

"Oh yeah? What's that?"

………………………….

Wesley was driving back to his apartment when he noticed that the focus of his thoughts that evening was standing on the side of the road, across the street from Sunnydale General. Pulling the car over, he hopped out and walked up to Faith. "What're you doing out here?" He asked. Faith looked up at him in surprise.

"What? Oh, nothing," Faith said evasively. Wesley rolled his eyes, knowing that she was lying.

"You're a terrible liar, Faith. What's going on? Does this have something to do with….well, the murder?" Wesley asked.

"The murder?" Faith said, looking over at him. "How do you know about that?"

"I overheard the others talking about it. They're worried about you, wondering where you are," Wesley said. During his drive, he had the opportunity to think rationally about what was happening. Though he still believed that he needed to contact the Council, he realized that he had unfairly judged Faith. He did not know the specifics of the incident and, until he found them out, he wanted to remain impartial.

"Yeah, I was supposed to go to the library," Faith said. "How much do you know?"

"Only that you accidentally killed someone," Wesley said. "So I guess murder wasn't the correct word."

"Not really," Faith agreed. "Buffy and I were in an alley. These vampires just started attacking us, out of nowhere. Then this guy jumped out at me and I staked him without realizing that he wasn't one of the vampires."

"Who was he?" Wesley asked, shoving his hands into the pockets of his pants.

"Unfortunately, he was the deputy Mayor of Sunnydale, Alan Finch," Faith replied.

"Dear God," Wesley said. "They found his body this evening."

"Yes, they did," Faith said.

"Wait a minute," Wesley said, something suddenly dawning on him. "That's why you're here, isn't it? You're here for the body!"

"Don't announce it to the world, Wes," Faith whispered harshly.

"This is a terrible idea," Wesley said.

"It wasn't mine," Faith replied defensively. "It was Angel's."

"Where is Angel?" Wesley asked.

"In the hospital," Faith replied.

"Doing what?" Wesley prodded.

"Executing the plan," Faith answered evasively.

"Faith," Wesley said wearily, "just tell me what's going on."

"Fine," Faith replied. "Angel went in to the hospital to play dead. The theory is, they won't be able to identify him, but they'll find a slip of paper with this cell phone number on it," Faith said, holding up the cell phone in question, "and they'll call the number to ask the person on the other end to come identify the body."

"Which will get you into the morgue with a legitimate purpose," Wesley finished.

"Exactly. Once I'm in the morgue, I'll identify Angel and ask to have a couple of minutes alone with him. Then we'll sneak the body out," Faith said.

"How?" Wesley asked.

"How what?"

"How will you sneak the body out without anyone noticing?" Wesley elaborated.

"We didn't really get that far," Faith replied sheepishly.

"I have an idea," Wesley replied hesitantly. "It'll take a little longer than the original plan, but we'll be able to get Angel and Alan out of there without anyone thinking twice about it."

"What do you suggest?" Faith asked.

"What is Angel dying from?" Wesley asked.

"Hit by a car," Faith said. "He had me beat him up a bit."

"Then they won't need an autopsy to ascertain the cause of death," Wesley said. "That's good. We'll be able to get him out right away. While you're in there, call me. Pretend you're on the phone with a funeral home. Arrange to have someone pick up Angel."

"Then you'll show up," Faith said, understanding Wesley's train of thought.

"Exactly. We'll bag Angel's body with Alan's and take them out. Once we're outside, we'll let Angel out and put Alan's body into my car," Wesley finished.

"Okay," Faith said. "I think this will work." The cell phone in Faith's hand suddenly began to ring. Faith answered it, playing the part perfectly. Hanging up the phone, she smiled over at Wes. "How long should I wait before I go in?"

"Give it fifteen minutes," Wes replied. Scribbling his cell phone number down on the back of a napkin that had been blowing down the street, he handed it to Faith. "Call this number once you're in there."

"Okay," Faith said, taking the napkin. "Why are you doing this?" She asked suddenly, looking over at him.

"I don't know," Wesley replied honestly. "It just seems like the right thing to do."


	63. The Morgue

The Quickening

Previously:

"Okay," Faith said, taking the napkin. "Why are you doing this?" She asked suddenly, looking over at him.

"I don't know," Wesley replied honestly. "It just seems like the right thing to do."

Chapter Sixty-Two:

"Hi, I just received a phone call, something about coming down here to identify a body," Faith said as she walked up to the help desk at the morgue in Sunnydale General. Per Wesley instructions, she had waited fifteen minutes before entering the building. Just behind the double doors to her left, Angel was waiting, pretending to be just another dead body. The plan was to break into the morgue and steal Alan Finch's body before the police could identify anything on him that would lead them to Buffy and then to Faith. However, the plan was not as simple as a snatch and grab. Police were crawling all over the morgue and there was no way to get Alan out without suspicion. Wesley, however, had come up with a plan that just might work, given a lot of luck and some good timing.

"Of course, right this way," the morgue attendant replied. Leading Faith down the hallway, he pushed open the double doors. "We found your cell number on the body. I don't know if you even know the man or not. He could have been someone you just met. But any information you could give us would be helpful."

"I'll do my best," Faith answered. The morgue looked just as Faith imagined that it would. She had never actually been in a morgue. Everything was steel, from the tables around the room, to the lamps hanging from the ceiling. It was cold inside to keep the bodies from decaying too quickly and Faith suppressed a shiver as the morgue attendant led her to one of the long, steel tables in the center of the room. A white sheet was covering the body and Faith knew that Angel was lying beneath it.

"This can be rather disturbing," the morgue attendant said, looking over at her. The man was in his late forties with thinning brown hair. He seemed nice enough, but Faith found herself doubting everything about him. She could not help but be distrustful of people, particularly men.

"I'm sure I can handle it," Faith said. She was not going to play the damsel in distress for this guy. She would not give vampires the satisfaction; she was not going to give some horny morgue attendant the same. Faith sighed, knowing that she was probably misjudging the man, but she was unable to stop her own train of thought.

"Whatever you say," the man replied. Lifting the sheet gently, he pulled it down so that Angel's head, neck, and shoulders were exposed. "Do you know him?"

Faith looked down at the ground, feigning shock. "Yeah," Faith replied softly. "He's my brother."

"Oh, I'm terribly sorry," the man said, replacing the sheet.

"Would you mind just giving me a minute? I'd like to be alone with him," Faith said, wiping away a forced tear.

"Of course," the man said, moving out of the room with Faith watching him out of the corner of her eye. Once the doors had closed behind him, Faith turned back to Angel.

"It's clear," she said. Angel groaned and lifted the sheet off of his head. "This was a terrible idea."

"Why's that?" Faith asked, finding the humor in the situation a bit too easily for Angel's liking.

"They stripped me naked," Angel complained. "It was humiliating."

"Well, don't worry big guy, it's all over now," Faith said consolingly, though the twinkle in her eye and the laugh behind her words belied her intention.

"How are we getting the body out of here?" Angel asked, preparing to get up off the table.

"Not yet," Faith said, pushing him back down. "Plan changed a little."

"What do you mean?" Angel asked apprehensively.

"I met Wesley outside of the hospital and, for reasons that I cannot explain, he wants to help us," Faith said.

"He knows?" Angel asked, his eyes widening in shock.

"I didn't tell him. He overheard the others talking in the library…where I should be right now," Faith said, sighing. "Anyway, we can't just take you and the body out of here without attracting attention. I'm going to call Wesley to have him come and pick you up for a funeral home. Then we're just gonna double bag you and Alan together."

"You have got to be kidding me," Angel replied. "You're gonna stick me in a body bag with _him_?"

"It's the only thing that'll work," Faith said defensively. "Look, I know it sucks, but it's the plan now. So deal with it. Now, I have to go back out there and pretend to be your grieving sister." Faith turned quickly on her heels and stalked out of the morgue. Angel sighed and lay back down on the table, pulling the sheet over his head.

A phone call later, Faith sat filling out some paper work in one of the plastic, morgue chairs when Wesley came into the morgue pushing a stretcher. "Hello," he said to the morgue attendant. "I'm with the McManus Funeral Home. I'm here to pick up a body."

"Oh yes," the attendant said, rising to his feet. "I'll show you the way. Would you like some help?"

"No, that's quite alright. I can handle it on my own," Wesley replied. The man nodded and led Wesley into the morgue, then returned.

"Is that the guy that'll be taking my brother?" Faith asked, once the attendant had returned.

"Yes, it is," he replied. Faith noticed that whenever the man talked to her, he did so in soothing and comforting tones. He must have been trained to talk that way in front of grieving relatives and loved ones, in order to keep them from freaking out about being there.

Wesley took a deep breath and wheeled the stretcher up to the table to which the morgue attendant had directed him. "Angel, it's me," Wesley said, clearing his throat. He felt odd being in the morgue. It was almost as if he were desecrating sacred ground by being there with the intention of stealing someone's body. He quickly shook off the feeling and focused. Angel sat up on the table.

"Can you get me some clothes?" He asked sheepishly, looking over at Wesley.

"Oh, of course," Wes replied. Scanning the room, he found Angel's clothes neatly folded in the corner. After retrieving them, he waited until Angel had dressed before turning back to help the souled vampire search for Alan Finch's body. They found it in one of the compartments. Together, they lifted the body and placed it in the body bag on the stretcher. Then Angel climbed in on top of it. "I'm sorry about all of this," Wesley said as he zipped up the bag. "But it really is the only way to get the body out of here without attracting any unwanted attention."

"I know," Angel said in muffled tones through the bag. "Just get me out of here."

Wesley nodded, though he knew that Angel could not see him, and wheeled the stretcher back out of the morgue. When he returned to the lobby, Faith was finishing up the paperwork with the morgue attendant. Wesley walked by them as Faith was asking some questions and pushed open the doors leading to the outside. Once he was out of the hospital, he wheeled the stretcher around to his car. Faith appeared several minutes later. "We all set?" Faith asked.

"Yeah," Wesley replied, unzipping the bag so that Angel could climb out.

"That was totally gross," Angel said, wiping at his clothes to get the smell of the dead body off them.

"This coming from a vampire," Faith said humorously.

"Help me get him into the trunk," Wesley said, lifting open the trunk lid. Faith and Angel picked up Alan's body and carefully laid him into the back. Then Wesley closed the trunk lid.

"Where to now?" Faith asked.

"I really have no idea," Wes said, looking over to Angel for an answer.

"Well, we need to tell Giles about all of this sometime. Why not now? Maybe he can help us stash the body somewhere," Angel said.

"Good idea," Wes replied. "Hop in. I'll drive."

……………………………

"Maybe we should go look for her?" Xander suggested. It had been nearly an hour and a half since Giles had called Faith and she still had not arrived. Though Xander completely trusted his girlfriend, he was starting to have some doubts. His first thoughts were for her safety. But once he reassured himself that she was all right, he began to fear that something more was going on.

"And look where?" Buffy asked. "For all we know, she could have gone to the Mayor. I mean, didn't she suggest that to you in the first place?"

"Yes, but I believe she understood why that was not a good idea," Giles replied carefully.

"Still, she might have decided to do it to spare Cordelia and Xander from being investigated by the police. I mean, they have the body; it's only a matter of time before they link everything together. By going to the Mayor, Faith could stop this whole thing right now," Willow said, suddenly panicking. "We could have a rogue slayer on our hands."

"Nice to see that everyone's really on my side here," Faith said as she and Angel pushed open the library doors. Wesley trailed behind them.

"Faith," Giles said, rising to his feet. "I'm glad you're here. We've been worried."

"Obviously," Faith replied, glancing at Willow a bit longer than anyone else.

"Where have you been?" Xander asked. "I thought something happened to you."

"Sorry," Faith said sincerely. "But I got a little sidetracked. Angel has something he wants to tell you," Faith said, diverting the attention to the vampire standing next to her. Angel glared over at her, but continued where she left off.

"You don't have to worry about the police anymore," he said.

"Why not?" Buffy asked in confusion. The rest of the group looked equally as confused as well.

"We took care of it," Angel replied. "We have the body. They won't be able to get any evidence now."

"Wait," Giles said, nearly choking on air, "you have the body?"

"Yeah," Angel said. "In Wesley's trunk, actually."

"The body's in your trunk?" Giles asked, turning to the new Watcher.

"Yes, it is. We need to find a place to put it where the police won't find it again," Wes said.

"We were kinda hoping you could help us with that," Faith hinted.

"Oh, this isn't good," Giles said, sitting back down. "You stole a body from the police and now want my help in hiding it?"

"Pretty much," Angel said. "Got any suggestions?"

"Bury it," Buffy said suddenly. "Drive outside of town and bury it. No one will find it."

"That's not a bad idea actually," Wes agreed. "We just need to bury it deep enough so that nothing will disturb it."

"Okay, so field trip it is," Faith said.

"I'll go with you," Xander said, standing up, and walking over to her.

"Are you sure?" Faith asked.

"Yeah," Xander said. "I'm good with shovels."

"Okay," Faith responded. "Let's go then. We need to get this done before sunrise."

"Faith," Giles said as they were filing out of the library. Faith turned back to look at him. "We need to talk once this is finished."

"I know," Faith said. "I get that you don't agree with my decision. We'll talk when I get back." Giles nodded and watched Faith walk out of the library. He was not happy with the chain of events that evening. Instead of taking responsibility for her actions, Faith seemed to be running from them. She was hiding instead of fighting. Giles knew that if she continued down that road, only pain would greet her. Sighing, he removed his glasses and began cleaning them on the front of his shirt. He could feel Faith pulling away from him and the others, trying to be strong enough on her own to survive the darkness within her. Though Giles was confident in her, he knew that she was not strong enough. She needed the others. He just hoped she realized that before it was too late.

………………………….

Cordelia sighed. She wanted to bang her head on the copy machine. Ever since the Mayor had left to make his statement about the finding of Alan Finch's body, she had been copying files. Though she was glad to be helping the Scooby Gang, she had hoped to be doing something more productive that hitting a button on a copy machine and waiting around for it to spew paper from the depths of its mechanical bowels. "Ah, there you are," the Mayor's secretary said, poking her head around the corner. "I think we're done here for the evening, you can head home now."

"Okay," Cordelia said, stacking the copied files. "Where do you want me to put these?"

"Oh, I'll take them," the secretary said, taking the stack of papers from Cordelia. "Thanks for this. It's a big help."

"My pleasure," Cordelia replied with false sincerity. She was glad that her first day was over. She had been nervous about working in the office, but she knew that she could handle it. As she neared the Mayor's office, she slowed her steps, noticing that his office door was slightly ajar. She could hear him moving about inside of the room. Walking up to the door, she stopped just outside of it and peered in through the crack. The Mayor was standing behind his desk. He was looking down at some papers as he reached across the desk for a pen. However, he accidentally grabbed the sharp end of a pair of scissors instead. Instinctively pulling his hand back, he watched as blood bubbled out of the wound.

Cordelia wanted to look away, but found herself transfixed as she saw something that she could not quite believe. She watched as the wound on the Mayor's hand suddenly began to knit itself back together. The cut slowly faded until his hand looked as if it had never been injured at all. "Oh my God," Cordelia muttered to herself, pushing away from the door, and continuing down the hallway as quickly as she could. "He can't be injured." Every time there had been a big bad or an apocalypse, Buffy had simply obliterated the source. This time, however, Buffy could not just kill the Mayor. If what Cordelia had seen was true, than nothing could kill the Mayor because nothing could hurt him. "We're so screwed."


	64. Trouble Again

The Quickening

Previously:

Cordelia wanted to look away, but found herself transfixed as she saw something that she could not quite believe. She watched as the wound on the Mayor's hand suddenly began to knit itself back together. The cut slowly faded until his hand looked as if it had never been injured at all. "Oh my God," Cordelia muttered to herself, pushing away from the door, and continuing down the hallway as quickly as she could. "He can't be injured."

Chapter Sixty-three:

Faith paused, resting her hands on her shovel. They had driven twenty miles outside of town before turning off of the main road and continuing on for another five miles into the desert. The night was cool and clear, the moon shining brightly above them as they dug the grave of Alan Finch. Faith watched Wesley, Angel, and Xander as they dug. Surprisingly, Xander was the quickest with a shovel. As if reading her mind, he looked up at her and smiled. "I guess I'm looking at a lucrative career in construction after high school, huh?" He joked.

Despite the gravity of the situation, Faith could not help but laugh. "You've got skills; can't be denied," Faith agreed. "I think we're good here, guys."

Wesley stopped for a moment and surveyed the hole. "Yes, I imagine that it's deep enough."

Laying down his shovel, Angel moved over to the body bag. "Wait," Faith said, laying a hand on his arm. "If you don't mind, I'd rather do this part alone."

Angel smiled slightly and nodded. "We'll just be in the car." Motioning for the others to follow, he picked up his shovel, and moved away. Faith watched them walk into the distance. Blinking away tears, she turned from them to gaze down into the dark hole before her. Though she had known that Xander would stand by her side, she had not expected to win the trust and loyalty of Angel and Wesley. She had gained two good friends out of an otherwise horrible situation, though she may have lost more than that in the process. Willow would not meet her eye in the library and from what Faith had heard, she knew that the young witch did not trust her. Faith was still unsure how Buffy felt about everything, though that she seemed willing to assist in getting rid of the body signaled to Faith hope that her sister slayer could forgive and forget.

Faith dropped her shovel and moved over to the body bag. Carefully lifting it over her shoulder, she walked back to the hole and knelt down beside it. Then, she lowered the body as far as her arms would allow before dropping it down into the darkness. Angel, Wesley, and Xander watched from the car as Faith knelt by the side of the hole. Sobs wracked her body as tears of anger, frustration, sadness, and fear finally burst forth and slid down her cheeks. "Should one of us…," Wes trailed off, uncertain how to proceed.

"I think she just needs some time," Angel said. "It's all starting to catch up with her."

Faith had to laugh at the irony of the situation. Her mother had always told her how useless she was, how she would never be anything but a bitter disappointment. As it turned out, her mother had been right. She had one job, one task that she was chosen to do. She was the slayer and all that she had to do was protect innocent people from the evil things that went bump in the night. But she could not even do that. She had failed herself, Alan, and everyone else. Most of all, she had failed Giles. She could see it in his eyes when he looked at her. He was disappointed. Though she had never cared about what her mother thought of her, she found herself desperately seeking a way to redeem herself for Giles. He had become the father she never had and the idea that he somehow thought less of her was killing her inside.

Shakily rising to her feet, Faith picked up her shovel and began to cover Alan's body with dirt. As if coming out of the shadows, Xander, Wesley, and Angel appeared at her side, helping her, and giving her strength. When the body was finally covered and all of the dirt replaced, Faith felt the refreshing cool of relief wash over her. It was finally over. Alan Finch was buried where no one would find him again. The police had nothing to lead them to her or to Buffy. "Ready to go home?" Xander asked, moving over to her, and draping his arm around her shoulder.

"Yeah," Faith replied, leaning against him. "Before we go, I just wanted to say…thanks. You guys didn't have to do all of this for me. But it means a lot that you did." Angel and Wesley simply nodded their acknowledgments and continued walking to the car.

"You've got lots of friends here, Faith," Xander said, leaning down and kissing the top of her head. "Don't forget that."

"I don't think I will," Faith replied thoughtfully as she and Xander walked arm in arm back to the car.

"So, still going to the Council, even after all of this?" Angel asked Wesley lowly, so that Faith and Xander would not hear his question.

"I'm starting to realize a lot of things," Wesley answered. "When I came to Sunnydale, the world was very black and white. Vampires were evil, slayers had to fight them. There was nothing in between. Then I met you and all of the sudden vampires weren't all evil. Some were good. Some had souls. I'm starting to realize that things aren't so black and white as I might have thought. Faith, she's a good person. She may not always see it, the others may not always see it, but I can see it. This thing with Alan Finch, it's finished. There's no need to drag it through the mud anymore."

"That's what I had hoped you would say," Angel responded, smiling a little. "You're going to make a good Watcher, Wesley."

"I appreciate the thought," Wesley said. "But I don't think I'll ever be as good of a Watcher as Giles."

"You don't have to be," Faith said, quickly catching up with the duo. "We already have one Giles. We don't need two of them."

"Yeah, believe me, one Giles is enough," Xander agreed. "It's already a challenge getting to the jelly doughnuts before he does. Imagine if there were two of him. No one would ever know the bliss of jelly crammed into a ring of dough and topped with glorious powdered sugar."

"I think what they're both trying to say in some strange, backwards way," Angel cut in, "is that you don't have to try to be anything that you're not because what you are now is that all we need."

"Thanks," Wesley replied, overwhelmed. His whole life, his father had constantly reminded him of how who he was simply was not enough for the Council or for his family. Wesley had struggled to become everything that his father wanted, but he was beginning to see that he would be miserable all of his life if he continued to try to meet someone else's exaggerated expectations.

"You know, you and me are a lot alike," Faith said suddenly.

"How's that?" Wesley asked.

"No one's ever expected anything of me and it seems like everyone's always expected the world of you. It's kinda hard to figure out how to be yourself in all of that, huh?" Faith pondered.

"Yes, it is indeed," Wesley agreed. "But I hope that, if we work together, perhaps we can figure out how."

Faith smiled widely over at him. "I'm up for it if you are."

"Anytime," Wesley answered. Slowing his pace, he smiled and watched as Angel, Faith, and Xander walked a head of him. The first rays of the sun were starting to climb over the horizon, but he knew they would make it back to town before Angel was in any real danger. Wesley knew that if someone had told him a year ago that he would be in Sunnydale, California, helping to bury the body of a man accidentally killed by a slayer with a souled vampire and a teenage boy, he would have simply laughed. But now, he knew that Sunnydale was exactly where he was supposed to be.

…………………..

Cordelia raised her fist and quickly knocked on Giles's door. The sun had just risen over the horizon in a splendid display of red and orange. Cordelia could already feel its warmth upon her face and, despite the terror threatening to take her heart, it relaxed her. She had not been able to sleep and, though she knew that Giles would not be pleased that she woke him at dawn, she had to tell someone of her discovery. She was able to knock again when she felt the presence of someone behind her. Turning quickly, she was relieved to see Faith standing there was a causal smirk on her face.

"What're you doing here, Cordy?" Faith asked, walking up to the door as she fished her key out of her pocket.

"I needed to talk to Giles. Hey, I heard about the police finding Alan's body. What're we gonna do?" Cordelia asked, remembering that things had gone from bad to worse that night in all respects.

"It's taken care of," Faith replied, slipping the key into the lock. "Angel, Wesley, and I stole the body from the morgue and buried it out in the desert with Xander."

"Wesley?" Cordelia asked in surprise.

"Yeah, he's not really all that bad actually," Faith answered.

"Sorry I wasn't there," Cordelia said, lying a comforting hand on Faith's arm.

"It's okay, Cor. You've got your own stuff to be doing. Speaking of which, I take it you found someone out last night?"

"Did I ever," Cordelia replied, shaking her head. "Let's go inside to talk about it though. I'm still kinda freaked out."

"Sure," Faith said, pushing open the door for Cordelia. The cheerleader walked inside and practically threw herself down on the couch.

"What on earth is going on out here?" Giles asked, suddenly appearing in the doorway. "Do you girls have any idea what time it is?"

"Yeah, sorry for the intrusion," Cordelia said, rising to her feet. "But I found out something rather important last night and it can't wait any longer."

Giles instantly fell into Watcher mode. Faith could see his expression change from the tired exasperation of a worried father to the keen curiosity of a Watcher. "What did you find out?" He asked, moving over to the easy chair and sitting. Faith joined Cordelia on the couch.

"It happened when I was leaving for the night. The Mayor's door was partially open, so I thought I would take a peak at what he was doing," Cordy said.

"What was he doing?" Giles asked, eager to get to the point.

"I don't know. He was looking at some papers. Not really the point of the story," Cordy replied. "Anyway, he reached across his desk for a pen and accidentally cut his hand on a pair of scissors. I'm not just talking about some little paper cut type of thing either. I mean there was serious blood flow happening there. But then the strangest thing happened. The cut healed itself."

"What do you mean?" Giles asked, startled.

"It knitted itself back together. In seconds, his hand looked as if it hadn't been injured at all," Cordelia clarified.

"Hold up, let me get this straight," Faith said, the gravity of Cordelia's statement starting to wear down upon her. "The Mayor can heal himself?"

"Exactly," Cordy answered.

"Which means that no amount of damage will inflict upon him will do any good," Giles concluded. "We can't kill him."

"How are we supposed to defeat him then?" Faith asked worriedly.

Giles shook his head. "I have no idea."

……………………

"The body's gone, sir," Trick reported to the Mayor. Wilkins slammed his fist down on his desk.

"What do we think happened to Alan?" He asked once he had calmed himself.

"We don't know for sure. But the police initially stated that he had a wound to his heart. A stab wound," Trick said.

"Ah, are you thinking what I'm thinking?" The Mayor asked with a wide smile.

"Slayer," Trick simply stated.

"Yes, I think a slayer killed the good Deputy Mayor," Wilkins elaborated.

"Would you like me to contact the police?" Trick offered.

"No," The Mayor immediately replied. "I want you to handle this. Pick one, find out everything that you can. Make her suffer."

"It will be my pleasure," Trick replied, his mouth curling up to reveal his fangs.

"Good," Wilkins said as Trick stalked out of his office. "I can't have anything – or anyone – standing in my way."


	65. Blood in the Moonlight

The Quickening

Previously:

"We don't know for sure. But the police initially stated that he had a wound to his heart. A stab wound," Trick said.

"Ah, are you thinking what I'm thinking?" The Mayor asked with a wide smile.

"Slayer," Trick simply stated.

Chapter Sixty-Four:

"So they finally let you back on patrol, huh?" Buffy asked as she and Faith walked through one of Sunnydale's many cemeteries in search of a little undead action.

"Yeah," Faith replied. "Wesley convinced Giles that I could handle it."

"You and Wes seem to be getting along much better lately," Buffy pointed out.

"He's alright," Faith said sincerely. "I thought he would be a pompous ass at first, but as it turns out, we have a lot in common."

"So how are you and Xander doing?" Buffy asked curiously. Faith smiled a little and looked down at the ground.

"We're really good," Faith acknowledged. "I've never met anyone like him. I never really pictured myself as a one-guy type of girl. But he's the only person I ever think about."

"I'm glad," Buffy replied. "You both deserve to be happy. Listen, Faith, I just wanted to apologize for the way I reacted to the whole situation with Alan. I should've been more supportive."

"Thanks, B. That means a lot," Faith said. "So how're you and Angel doing?" Faith asked, even though she knew that her sister slayer loathed to discuss her relationship with the souled vampire. Buffy sighed.

"Much of the same," she replied. "I don't think it's going to work."

"Not being able to knock boots has got to be tough," Faith sympathized.

"You have no idea," Buffy agreed.

"It's the hungry and horny, isn't it?" Faith said, smiling when Buffy laughed and shook her head.

"I still maintain that the hungry and horny really only applies to you," Buffy said evasively.

"Whatever, girlfriend," Faith replied. She was about to say more when something jumped out at her from her left and knocked her to the ground. Buffy immediately threw a hard right, knocking the demon back several feet.

"Hold on! That was entirely accidental," the demon said, throwing up his hands.

"Accidental my ass," Faith said, lifting herself to her feet. "You attacked me."

"No, you just happened to be standing where I was walking," the demon pointed out. "If you don't mind, I'd like to just get going…" he said, attempting to move around the slayers.

"Are you nuts?" Faith asked, blocking his exit. "We're slayers. It's our job to beat the shit out of scum like you. You're not going anywhere."

"Oh, scum? That's it, isn't it? Can't be a demon and be a good person at the same time. No, we're all just scum to you people. Well, I'll have you know that I pay my taxes just like everyone else. I'm not out there killing people. I'm just trying to live my life," the demon ranted. Faith looked over at Buffy and smirked.

"Chill, I didn't mean to insult you," Faith said.

"I think you owe me an apology," the demon said obstinately.

"What? No way in hell," Faith replied angrily.

"Faith," Buffy said humorously. "You did call him 'scum.'"

"Yeah, but he's a demon. How was I supposed to know he wasn't one of the bad guys?" Faith replied.

"Just apologize or he might start ranting again," Buffy whispered harshly. Faith glared over at her before sighing in defeat.

"Fine," she said, turning to the demon. "I apologize."

"Thank you," the demon responded. "So, you're the slayers, huh?

"That's right," Faith said. "What's it to you?"

"I was looking for you, actually. I may have something you'd be interested in," the demon replied.

"What?" Buffy asked interrogatively.

"The Books of Ascension. I'll give them to you for a good price. See, I'm trying to get the hell out of dodge. Bad things are gonna be going down here. I don't want to be around when they do," the demon explained.

"You want to sell us books? Who cares," Faith replied.

"Not just any books," the demon said quickly. "Besides, something tells me the Mayor wouldn't be too happy if you got your hands on them, if you know what I mean," the demon said.

"How much do you want for them?" Buffy asked noncommittally.

"Five large," the demon replied.

"That's a lot of money. These books better be good," Faith replied, stepping forward with her stake raised by her side.

"Don't worry," the demon said, backing up slightly. "They're worth every penny. But I want cash. Tomorrow, I'll get the books. Meet me back here."

"We'll think about it," Buffy said, grabbing Faith by the arm and pulling her along.

"Remember, in cash!" The demon called after them as they walked away.

"What do you think?" Faith asked, looking over at her sister slayer.

"I think I'd like to know more about these Books of Ascension," Buffy replied. "Anything we can get to pin down the Mayor would be great."

"Yeah," Faith replied earnestly. "It would."

……………………………..

"Five thousand dollars?" Wesley said, his voice rising several octaves. "Do we even have that kind of money?"

"We could get it," Giles replied.

"So these books, they're important then?" Faith asked.

"To be honest, I don't know much about them," Giles admitted.

"What does ascension even mean?" Xander asked.

"In this context, I'm not sure," Wesley said. "It's not a common term in demonology."

"Oh, I know!" Willow suddenly interrupted. "The Marenschadt text. In the section on genocide, it mentions ascension."

"Where did you find that volume?" Giles asked, surprised.

"In the top of your book cabinet," Willow replied, looking down at the table.

"With the rest of the stuff you keep hidden," Faith said, smirking.

"Someone's been a bad girl," Buffy teased.

Giles shook his head and disappeared into his office. When he reappeared, he had the book in his hands. Thumbing through it, he stopped on the section Willow had mentioned. "Here we go," he said. "There's a reference to the journal of Desmond Kane, pastor of a town called Sharpsville. 'May 26, 1723. Tomorrow is the Ascension. God help us all.' That was the last anyone heard."

"Of Kane?" Wesley asked.

"No," Giles replied grimly. "Of Sharpsville. The town disappeared off the face of the earth."

"I think we should start getting that money together," Wesley said.

"I agree," Giles replied. "Faith, I want you to meet with this demon tomorrow night. Buffy, while Faith is meeting with the demon, keep an eye on the Mayor's office. We don't want him finding out about these books."

"Sounds like a plan," Buffy said.

"I think that's enough for tonight," Giles said. As everyone began to collect their belongings and file out of the library, Giles turned to Faith. "I'd like to talk to you in my office."

"Okay," Faith said uncertainly as she stood and followed Giles into his library office. Closing the door behind them, Giles motioned for Faith to take a seat, which he did as well.

"I just wanted to talk to you about Alan Finch," Giles said. Faith nodded and looked down at her hands. "Stealing his body may have been the only course of action available to you; that remains to be seen. However, it worries me that you chose to handle it without contacting anyone."

"I went to Angel," Faith replied.

"Yes, but you should have told me what you were doing. We could have helped you, Faith. It was very dangerous going in there without any assistance."

"I know," Faith acknowledged. Giles sighed and reached over, taking one of her hands in his.

"I love you like a daughter, Faith. I only want what's best for you. It kills me to see you hurting. Nobody else may see it, but I can see the pain behind your eyes, Faith. I just want you to know that I'm here for you," Giles said. Faith nodded and blinked back tears. Moving forward in her chair, she wrapped her arms around Giles' neck and pulled him into a tight embrace.

"I love you too," she whispered into his shirt. Giles smiled, blinking away his own tears, knowing that his makeshift family was going to be fine.

…………………..

Faith shoved her stake up the sleeve of her jacket. As she walked through the cemetery, carrying a brief case full of money, she wondered if she was doing the right thing. She was called to destroy demons, not pay them off. She knew that some demons were not evil; Angel had taught her that. But she did not know whether she trusted the demon who she was preparing to meet. They desperately needed information on the Mayor, however. Cordelia's revelation that the Mayor could not be injured had severely dampened their spirits. Whatever the Ascension was, Faith had a feeling it was not of the good. As she neared the location of her rendezvous with the demon, Faith mentally steeled herself. Giles had instructed her to retrieve the books by whatever means necessary. If the demon proved uncooperative, she was to take them by force.

Stopping at the meeting spot, Faith looked down at the watch that Wesley had lent to her. She was a couple of minutes early. "Great," Faith muttered to herself. "I have to wait around for his sorry ass."

"Whose sorry ass?" A voice behind her asked. Faith spun around, dropping the brief case, and assuming a defensive position.

"Who's there?" Faith asked.

"You don't remember me? Well, I'm hurt," Mr. Trick said, appearing out of the shadows. Faith felt a familiar pain rising in her heart as she looked into the face of one of Kakistos' minions. Trick had been there when Kakistos tortured and murdered her Watcher. Faith could still hear Kate's screams echoing somewhere in the abyss of her mind.

"I remember you," Faith growled.

"Good," Trick said. "I was hoping you would. It'll make this all the more enjoyable."

"Where is he?" Faith asked, kicking the brief case to the side and backing away as Trick advanced.

"The demon, you mean? He's dead. Nifty, little books he had too. The Mayor will be pleased to have them," Trick replied.

"You work for the Mayor now?" Faith asked. "Always gotta be someone's bitch, huh?"

"I would watch your mouth, if I were you, Faith," Trick snarled, his face morphing into its demon form.

"Why's that?" Faith taunted. "Think you can take me?"

"I know I can," Trick said. "You're nothing but a little girl. I remember how pathetic you were when Kakistos broke you down."

"Yeah, but who's the big pile of dust now, huh? Me or him?" Faith reminded Trick.

"He didn't die by your hands," Trick said.

"Still dead though," Faith countered. "And I'm still kicking. So who won in the end?"

"You may still be kicking now," Trick said. "But I haven't had my turn yet." Trick lunged at Faith, catching her off guard, and sweeping her legs out from under her. Faith landed hard on the ground, the air knocked out of her lungs. Rolling away as Trick lunged at her again, she sprung to feet. Lashing out, she punched him in the side of the face, knocking him backwards. Trick smiled and reached over, wiping the blood away from his cheek. Sucking on one of his bloodied fingers, he laughed. "I can't wait to taste your blood, bitch."

"Not gonna happen," Faith replied. Trick advanced, throwing several punches at the dark haired slayer. Faith blocked the first, ducked, and threw her fist into Trick's side. She could hear several of his ribs breaking from the impact. Lifting his knee, he thrust it forward into Faith's stomach. Grabbing the slayer by the neck, he tossed her to the side. Faith slammed into a gravestone, the marker cracking and breaking from the force of her body hitting it. Stars exploded in front of Faith's eyes and she shook off a wave of nausea. Faith touched the back of her head, grimacing when she felt warm blood seeping between her fingers.

"Ready to give up yet?" Trick asked, walking over. "I really have some questions I'd like to ask you."

"Questions?" Faith asked.

"About Alan Finch," Trick replied. Faith felt her blood run cold.

"I don't know who that is," Faith responded, lifting herself to her feet. The world was spinning, but she managed to back away from Trick without stumbling.

"You don't look so good, slayer. You might have a concussion," Trick said. "Alan Finch was the Deputy Mayor of Sunnydale, until someone murdered him. The Mayor is very determined to find out who did it."

"Why are you asking me?" Faith asked, blocking a punch that Trick threw her way. Moving away from him, she tried to keep some distance between them as they circled each other.

"Well, Finch was stabbed through the heart. The police never got a chance to figure out with what, as someone broke into the morgue and stole his body. But it's not too common for someone to get stabbed in the heart, unless you're in a town where there's two slayers, who routinely stab things in the heart with sharp, pointy objects," Trick surmised. "We thought the best place to start looking would be with a slayer. Imagine my luck when I stumbled across a demon who was meeting with a slayer this very night exactly where I happened to be looking for her."

"You're barking up the wrong tree," Faith countered. "I didn't kill Alan Finch. I don't know who did."

"I think you're lying," Trick said. "In fact, I know you are. I personally don't care whether it was you or that blonde bitch. The fact remains that I told the Mayor I would take care of it. I go back there without having killed you, he's not going to be happy. That wouldn't be good for me. Therefore," Trick said, producing a large knife, "it's in my best interest to destroy you."

Faith stared at the knife. The odds were not in her favor. She had cracked her head hard against the tombstone. Trick was armed with a knife. Letting the stake fall out of her sleeve, she raised, it, preparing for Trick's attack. Trick vaulted over a gravestone and kicked Faith in the face, knocking her back. Rolling to his feet, Trick dodged a punch and swept Faith's feet out from under her. Crawling on top of her, he grabbed her arm, twisting until she cried out in pain and the stake fell from her hands. Then he raised the knife over her heart. Bucking with all of her strength, Faith tried to dislodge Trick to no avail. Grabbing his hand with her other arm, she fought to stay the blade.

Slowly, the point of the knife drove closer to its target. Sweat broke out on Faith's forehead as she struggled against the vampire. Faith screamed out in pain as the knife pierced her skin. Red, hot pain flashed through her mind and her grip on Trick's arm loosened. Trick capitalized on the opportunity, driving the knife into Faith's chest with all of his strength. "How does that feel, slayer?" Trick whispered into her ear. Faith felt a strange chill spreading through her bones and the last thing she saw before the world turned black were Trick's yellow eyes boring into her soul.


	66. The Desert

The Quickening

Previously:

Slowly, the point of the knife drove closer to its target. Sweat broke out on Faith's forehead as she struggled against the vampire. Faith screamed out in pain as the knife pierced her skin. Red, hot pain flashed through her mind and her grip on Trick's arm loosened. Trick capitalized on the opportunity, driving the knife into Faith's chest with all of his strength. "How does that feel, slayer?" Trick whispered into her ear. Faith felt a strange chill spreading through her bones and the last thing she saw before the world turned black were Trick's yellow eyes boring into her soul.

Chapter Sixty-Five:

As Faith regained consciousness, the first thing she noticed was an overwhelming silence that surrounded her. The only sound she could hear was the faint rustling of a far away breeze. Warmth spread over her skin, a constant penetrating heat that burned against her flesh. Faith's eyes fluttered open to be greeted by the infinite blue sky, stretching for miles across a bare horizon. There were no clouds, only the sun, piercing down at her as she lay on her back in the middle of the desert. Faith squinted in the bright light and turned her head to the side. For miles, all that she could see was sand. To her other side, some rocks lay in the distance, a formation that reminded her of some pictures she had seen in a geography textbook years ago.

The last thing that Faith remembered was Trick stabbing her in the chest with a knife. The pain had been so excruciating that she had blacked out, unable to bear in the intensity of it. She remembered thinking that she was about to die. Everything she had done in her life flashed before her eyes and she could not help but feel disappointed. Lifting herself up on her elbows, Faith expected to feel a flash of hot pain flooding her senses. However, she felt stronger than ever. Looking down at her shirt, she noticed that there was no bloodstain where the knife had pierced her chest.

Rising to her feet, Faith brushed the sand off her clothes and looked around. She could feel something pulling at her senses and she knew that she was not alone. However, she could not see whoever or whatever else was with her. "Hello?" Faith called out into the desert. Her voice echoed, fading into the silence that permeated the land. "I know someone's there," Faith said, spinning around.

"I suppose I can't hide from you forever," a woman's voice said. Faith turned, looking for the origin of the voice.

"Where are you?" She asked.

"You already know," the voice replied. Faith closed her eyes, focusing her energy on locating the source of the voice. She could feel a presence to her left. Slowly opening her eyes, she began walking through the desert. The sand shifted underneath her feet and several times she almost stumbled to the ground, but eventually she stopped beside the rock formation she had seen when she first woke up.

"Who are you?" Faith asked as a woman with blonde hair so pale it almost appeared white stepped out from behind the rocks. She was wearing a light blue wrap that hung off one of her shoulders. Her tanned skin and dark eyes reminded Faith of an Egyptian goddess.

"I am all that is," the woman said, stepping closer.

"What the hell does that mean?" Faith asked.

"Only those with the heart of a champion may enter this place," the woman replied evasively. "You must be a champion in order to defeat the evil that will arise in Sunnydale."

"You know about that," Faith stated.

"Of course I do," the woman replied. "I know everything that is, was, or ever will be. I can see all things."

"If you can see all things, why don't you stop the bad things from happening?" Faith muttered.

"It is not my place," the woman said with a soft smile. "You have the will to do anything. I cannot presume to take that away from you. It comes from One higher than I."

"God?" Faith surmised. The woman smiled a little and began slowly circling the dark haired slayer.

"Not exactly. You assume that there is one thing that controls everything in the universe. But God, as you know it, does not exist. You see, God is simply energy – the energy of good and the energy of evil," the woman explained.

"Energy?" Faith asked.

"Yes," the woman replied. "Energy controls all things. Energy itself has no bearing – it is neither good nor evil. But when energy is used by other beings, it is converted to whatever end is chosen."

"So we make the bad things happen?" Faith finished.

"Yes," the woman replied. "But you can also stop them from happening."

"You're talking about the Ascension?" Faith asked.

"The Ascension is just one battle in a long line of many to come. Each enemy you destroy is simply a stepping stone to something more powerful," the woman replied.

"You know, I'm still not clear on what you are," Faith said, turning to watch the woman as she slowly circled Faith. Though she did not feel that the woman was evil, she was not sure whether to trust her. Faith had been played many times in her life. "Am I dead?"

"No, you're not dead. But you're not in your world anymore either," the woman said.

"What do you mean?" Faith asked in alarm.

"I think you misunderstand me," the woman clarified. "Your body is very much so still in your world. But your mind has entered another plane. I believe the doctors in your world call your condition a coma."

"I'm in a coma?" Faith asked.

"Yes," the woman replied. "And until you wake up, you're mind will be here, with me, in this plane of existence."

"Lovely," Faith muttered, looking around at the barren desert. "Why am I in a desert?"

"The desert is the place of the warrior," the woman replied. "It is where the heart and soul of the struggle, the becoming, and the transcendence resides."

"The place of the warrior," Faith said to herself, looking around. She felt as thought a part of her was connected to the desert, as if a part of it was in her soul.

"The First Slayer," the woman said, "was created in a desert much like this."

"What is the Ascension?" Faith asked, looking over at the woman curiously.

"There is much that you need to know. But I am not the one to tell you all. Some you must figure out on your own. I am only here to impart one thing to you," the woman explained.

"What is that?" Faith asked.

The woman stopped walking and looked deeply into Faith's eyes. "It is not so simple as that," she said.

"No?" Faith asked, watching the woman equally as intently.

"You must first pass the test."

…………………………..

"How is she?" Giles asked as the doctor pulled him to the side.

"She's stable, at the moment. She sustained a lot of injuries, however. Her left arm is broken. She was stabbed in the chest, though the blade missed her heart by millimeters. She lost a lot of blood. There were some minor scrapes and bruises, the most notable of which were two puncture marks on her neck," the doctor replied. "She's in a coma, Mr. Giles. The longer she remains in it, the less likely it is that she will awaken. The next forty-eight hours will be crucial."

"Thank you," Giles said. "May we see her?"

"Of course," the doctor replied, moving away as the group entered Faith's hospital room. The first light of dawn was rising over the horizon. Buffy moved over to the window and closed the blinds so that Angel would not be burned when the run reached its full strength.

"What happened to her, Giles?" Buffy asked, her voice and face set with the determination to avenge her sister slayer.

"I don't know," Giles replied wearily. Sitting down next to Faith's bedside, he reached over and gently took her hand in his. "The cemetery grounds keeper found her just before dawn."

"Do we think the demon she was meeting did it?" Angel asked. Xander moved over to the other side of the bed and sat down, mirroring Giles' actions. With his other hand, he reached out and brushed a strand of hair from Faith's face.

"No," Buffy said. "That demon was harmless."

"Then who did it?" Cordelia asked, her voice strained with sadness. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying.

"I would say someone from the Mayor's office," Wesley conjectured.

"Why would the Mayor attack us?" Willow asked.

"Preemptive strike?" Oz suggested.

"We _are_ the Mayor's biggest threat," Giles agreed. "If he somehow found out about the Books of Ascension, he would have sent someone after them."

"But you didn't see anyone leaving the Mayor's office last night, right, Buff?" Xander asked, his voice rough. Buffy could see unshed tears shining in his eyes.

"I didn't see anyone. That doesn't mean that no one left," Buffy replied helplessly.

"So what're we going to do? We don't have the books. Faith's in a coma. Things aren't looking so good for us right now," Willow said dejectedly.

"The only thing we can do right now is wait," Giles said. "Faith will wake up. A new opportunity will present itself. Until then, we have to be wary. The Mayor may try to attack us again."

"I don't want any of you guys going anywhere by yourself," Buffy said, turning to her friends. "It's too dangerous."

"What about my job in the Mayor's office?" Cordelia asked.

"Quit," Buffy replied.

"Are we sure that's wise? Won't it draw attention to Cordelia?" Wesley asked.

"I don't care," Buffy answered. "I don't want her there anymore."

"I'll quit today," Cordelia said.

"What will you tell them?" Giles asked.

"I'll just tell them that it's affecting my school work. I don't have time to complete my assignments," Cordelia offered.

"That sounds good," Buffy said. "We can't let the Mayor know that he's struck a blow to us. We have to be strong."

"I don't think I can be strong anymore," Cordelia muttered.

"What happens if she doesn't wake up, Giles?" Xander asked, looking over at the older man. Giles sighed and looked down at Faith. She looked so helpless lying in the hospital bed with tubes and wires protruding from her body.

"I don't know," Giles replied. "I just don't know."


	67. Moving On

The Quickening

Previously:

"There is much that you need to know. But I am not the one to tell you all. Some you must figure out on your own. I am only here to impart one thing to you," the woman explained. "You must first pass the test."

Chapter Sixty-Six:

"Test?" Faith asked as a sinking feeling permeated the pit of her stomach.

"Yes," the woman answered. "We must know that you are worthy."

"What kind of test are we talkin' about here? In case you all forgot, I never was one for the book learning," Faith said.

"This isn't a written test, Faith. It's a test of your character," the woman replied.

"My character?" Faith asked suspiciously.

"We must know that you won't use the information that we give you for ill," the woman explained. "There is much darkness in you, Faith. It fills you. But there is also light."

"So you're testing me to see which will win out in the end?" Faith asked.

"Yes," the woman responded. "Darkness is created by anger, despair, jealousy, and sadness. All of these things you have experienced. But you keep them locked away, Faith. They fester inside, threatening to boil over into the person you've become. Were that to happen, I fear that the darkness in you would destroy everything that is good."

"I don't understand," Faith said slowly.

"In order to overcome what haunts your dreams at night, you must experience them again. You must accept them and move on," the woman explained.

"Experience them again?" Faith asked, not sure she liked the sound of what the woman was proposing.

"Perhaps it would be easier for you to understand if I showed you," the woman said. Smiling gently, she clicked her fingers. The desert shifted, swirling in front of Faith's eyes in a blur of light. Slowly, it became something else entirely. Faith gasped as she began to recognize her new surroundings.

"What am I doing here?" Faith demanded, looking over at the woman standing beside her.

"I told you. You must overcome that which pulls you into darkness," the woman said.

"No, this is too much," Faith said as her surroundings materialized around her and she found herself standing in the middle of her old apartment in Boston. The lights flickered above her head and Faith instinctively wrapped her arms around herself to fight off the cold of winter in Boston.

"We all suffer, Faith," the woman said softly. "We all have secrets that haunt us. Everyone carries around a hidden pain. But in order to become – to transcend – you must let go of everything that holds you back."

"Fine, I'll let it go, just get me out of here," Faith pleaded.

"Where are you, you little bitch?" A woman's voice cried out through the apartment. "I told you to bring me back my cigarettes!"

"Mom," Faith muttered, tears threatening to spill down over her cheeks. She watched as a little girl emerged from another room, clutching a pack of cigarettes tightly against her chest.

"I'm coming, mommy," the little girl said.

"I told you not to call me that," the mother said, emerging from her bedroom. "I told you to be back in five minutes, where the hell were you?"

"There was a line at the store," little Faith murmured, looking down at the ground.

"Look at me when I talk to you," her mother said, roughly grabbing her chin and yanking her head up. "You didn't waste any of my money buying candy for yourself, did you brat?"

"No," Faith instantly denied, her face turning red.

"You're a shitty liar, you know that?" Her mother said, laughing humorously as she lit up a cigarette. "You need to learn respect. That was my money you spent. Now I have to take something of yours so you know what it feels like to have something stolen from you."

"I didn't mean to disrespect you, I swear," little Faith declared, looking up at her mother with big eyes. Grabbing Faith by the arm, her mother pulled her close; her face only inches from the little girl's as she leaned down to meet her eyes.

"But I wouldn't be a good mother if I didn't punish you for what you do wrong, my little firecracker," her mother sneered as she pressed the lit end of her cigarette against the tender flesh of the girl's arm.

Faith looked away as the girl squirmed in her mother's grasp, trying to escape the pain. "Hard to watch, isn't it?" The mysterious woman standing next to her asked.

"Yes, it is," Faith agreed. "So make it stop."

"I can't. Only you can do that," the woman replied.

"What are you talking about? I don't even want to be here," Faith said angrily.

"You hate that woman with every fiber of your being because of what she did to you," the woman said. "But that hate is going to catch up with you. You have to let it go."

"I can't do that," Faith said obstinately.

"Then you can't leave," the woman replied. "Not until you do."

………………….

"Well, don't leave me in suspense, what happened with our girl?" The Mayor asked, smiling widely as Mr. Trick entered his office.

"She won't be waking up anytime soon," Trick replied.

"Which leads me to believe that she's not dead, like you assured me she would be," the Mayor responded.

"I did my best. The girl's resilient," Trick said nervously. The Mayor scared him beyond any other being that he had worked under. Kakistos had been evil down to the core of his being, but it was a different kind of evil. The Mayor was evil wrapped in a happy, friendly, and almost wholesome package that belied the true darkness swimming within him.

"She is a slayer, after all," Wilkins said. "Listen, I don't like loose ends. I want you to finish this, Mr. Trick."

"Are you sure that's wise?" Trick asked. Wilkins looked at him with a raised eyebrow, but motioned for the vampire to continue. "The other slayer will be protecting her, not to mention all of the other humans that she associates with."

"Don't tell me you're afraid of some little, pathetic humans?" The Mayor said with a laugh in his eyes. "You didn't finish the job. I want you to finish it. You have to remember, Mr. Trick, that you're just another vampire to me. You can easily be replaced. Don't make me replace you," the Mayor warned.

Trick gulped and nodded warily. "I'll finish it," he said.

"Good," the Mayor said, clapping his hands together giddily.

…………………………….

Cordelia stood in front of the payphone at the hospital with her change in hand, trying to find the nerve to call the Mayor's office and quit. Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, she picked up the phone and slid the change into the slot. Dialing the number of the Mayor's secretary, she steeled herself for the coming conversation. "Hello," she said into the phone. "This is Cordelia Chase. I really need to speak to the Mayor."

"Of course," the secretary said. "I'll connect you."

"Thanks," Cordelia said. The phone rang several times before the Mayor answered it. "Hi, I'm sorry to have to call you like this," Cordelia began, "but I'm afraid I won't be able to finish my internship."

"Oh, that's too bad. May I ask why not?" The Mayor asked curiously, though he already knew the answer to his question. Cordelia was clearly friends with both slayers.

"I don't think I'll be able to handle the work load and my obligations at school at the same time," Cordelia explained. "School is my first priority."

"As it should be," the Mayor said. "Well, we'll be sorry to lose you, but I understand completely. Thanks for the call."

"You're welcome," Cordelia said, hanging up the phone and sighing with relief.

"Went well?" Giles asked, walking up behind her.

"Yeah, maybe a little too well," Cordelia replied. "I'm scared, Giles. I don't think the Mayor is just going to leave Faith alone."

"You think he'll send someone to finish her off?" Giles asked.

"Yeah, I do," Cordelia replied. "I think someone should be here with her at all times."

"I agree," Giles said. "However, it will be difficult arranging for someone with the strength to protect Faith to be here."

"No it won't," Cordelia said. "I think I know someone who would be up to it."

"Oh?" Giles asked.

"Angel," Cordelia said. "He and Faith seem pretty close. Besides, I can't imagine that he likes hanging out in that mansion all day doing nothing."

Giles nodded and glanced back at Faith's hospital room. He did not like the idea of leaving Faith in the hands of Angel, though the souled vampire had proven himself worthy of being a part of the gang again. "I'll speak with him," Giles said, turning back to Cordelia and smiling. Angel would be able to protect Faith, but he would not be doing it alone. Giles was going to spend every waking moment by her side until her eyes fluttered open again. He knew that Faith had been abandoned many times in her life and he was going to be there when she woke up.

…………………

"Pain is a part of life," the woman standing next to Faith said.

"I get that," Faith said, watching the younger version of herself cry in a corner of the apartment. The lights were off and the apartment smelled of cheap beer and sex. She could hear the sounds of two people moaning and grunting in the other room. The little girl had been awoken by a nightmare and wanted someone to hold her. But she knew better than to go into her mother's room when the man was there. Faith slowly moved over to the little girl and sat down next to her, pulling her knees up against her chest and resting her head against the wall.

"I just wanted someone to comfort me. No one was there, so I told myself that I didn't need anyone – that I could take care of myself. I couldn't rely on anyone because in the end, everyone disappoints you," Faith said. "But I know that isn't true anymore. I have people that I can rely on now. They care about me." Faith could feel some of her walls breaking apart as she spoke. The little girl next to her slowly faded and the sounds in the next room ceased. "What happened?" Faith asked.

"You're moving on," the woman said. "And so must we."

"There's more?" Faith asked, accepting the woman's hand as she reached out to help Faith stand.

"Much more," the woman replied. "And it will only be worse."


	68. Secrets and Lies

The Quickening

Note: I'm going out of town Saturday for about a week. Therefore, there won't be any updates during that time. Thanks for the reviews and keep them coming. I'll update again when I get back.

Previously:

"You're moving on," the woman said. "And so must we."

"There's more?" Faith asked, accepting the woman's hand as she reached out to help Faith stand.

"Much more," the woman replied. "And it will only be worse."

Chapter Sixty-Seven:

The sun slowly descended over Sunnydale. Long shadows stretched over the ground as the sun lit up the sky in a deep red that spread over the horizon, until it sank and the moon began to rise in its place. The shadows spread and darkness fell over the streets. Angel stood as a silent sentinel in Faith's hospital room. The dark haired slayer still lay motionless in her bed; her mind trapped in a coma while her body slowly healed itself from the wounds that had been inflicted upon her. When Giles asked him to watch over the girl, Angel had been surprised. Giles thought of Faith as a daughter and the fact that the Watcher believed in him enough to trust his most valuable possession to him meant a great deal to the souled vampire.

Angel's face was grim as he watched the moon slowly rise over the town. He could feel evil stirring, rising from its slumber, and emerging from the darkness to prowl the night. The demon in him stirred as well, always tempting him to turn from the life he had chosen and rejoin the rest of his brethren. Turning away from the window, Angel looked back at Faith. The others had visited before school. He knew that Xander and Cordelia wanted to stay, but Giles had insisted that they go about their lives as usual. Angel smiled, remembering how obstinate Xander had been about being able to protect his girlfriend much better than 'soul boy' ever could. Though Angel did not doubt the boy's heart, he knew that if the Mayor's assassin came after Faith again, Xander would not be able to protect her. He also knew that if anything happened to Xander while she was unconscious, Faith would kick his ass when she awoke.

Angel moved over to Faith and sat down in the plastic chair next to the unconscious girl. The slow rise and fall of her chest was almost comforting to the vampire. Leaning forward, he reached across the bed and took her warm hand in his. "You know, I'm not usually one to make emotional pleas or anything," Angel started, wincing when he heard how loud his voice sounded in the empty hospital room. "But I think it's about time to break tradition. I could say that the others need you, Faith. They can't go on without you. But that wouldn't be necessarily true. See, I need you too."

Angel looked down at the crisp, white sheets on Faith's bed. "For a long time, I thought that I didn't need anyone. I thought that it would be better for me, and everyone else, if I just stayed away from people. So I stuck to the shadows. Looking back on it, I realize now how pathetic I was. I stayed in the alleys, ate rats for blood, didn't bathe," Angel said, thinking about Whistler's words to him. "Then someone came to me and told me that I was worth something. He took me to Los Angeles and showed me this girl. All I remember from the first time I saw her is that her hair was like the sun. She was so beautiful. And she needed me."

Angel paused and sat back in his chair, still holding Faith's hand in his own. "I couldn't believe it. Someone actually needed me. All of that time, I had thought that no one could ever need me – that I was just this blot, this stain on the world. But all of that changed. Now I realize that just as much as that girl needed me back then, I need people too. You can live for hundreds of years, but it's not the things you do that you remember. It's the people that you do them with," Angel said. "I guess what I'm trying to say is that there are a lot of people who need you to wake up, Faith, including me."

Angel looked down at Faith. Though he knew that his words would not magically bring her back from the darkness she had slipped into, he had secretly hoped that she would somehow respond. "That was really touching," a voice said from the doorway of the hospital room. Angel looked up, instantly on his feet when he saw the other vampire standing there.

"Who're you?" Angel asked, moving around Faith's hospital bed so that he stood between the unconscious slayer and the other vampire.

"Mr. Trick's my name. You must be Angel," Trick said, politely extending his hand. Angel looked at him as if he were crazy.

"I'm not going to shake your hand," Angel growled angrily. "You're the one who did this to her, aren't you?"

"Yes, I am," Trick said proudly. "Although, seeing as how you're a vampire, I thought you would be pleased for me."

"Pleased? Why would I be pleased that you put a friend of mine in a coma?" Angel demanded.

"Oh, that's right," Trick said. "You've been neutered, haven't you? Don't play for our side anymore? Just the slayer's little lap dog."

"Whatever you came here for, you won't get it," Angel replied determinedly.

"I see," Trick said, moving farther into the room. "The other slayer's friends left you here to watch over her, right? To make sure that I didn't come back to finish the job?" Trick asked.

Angel nodded. "That's right," he replied.

"Well, I didn't want to have to hurt you," Trick said agreeably. "But if push comes to shove, I have a job to do."

"To be honest," Angel responded, "I do want to hurt you. So bring it on." Morphing into his vampire face, Angel charged at Trick, tackling him to the ground. Angel grunted as Trick brought his knee up into the souled vampire's stomach. Rolling off the other vampire, Angel leapt to his face, throwing several quick jabs at Trick. Trick blocked the first, but winced as the second struck him just below the kidney. Pushing Angel backwards, Trick moved away, regrouping. The two vampires circled each other, waiting for the other to make a move. Finally, Trick lashed his foot out, catching Angel just below the chin. Angel stumbled backwards, slamming into the wall. Trick smiled cruelly and advanced upon the other vampire. But this time, Angel was ready for him.

Grabbing Trick by the collar of his expensive suit, Angel heaved him out of Faith's hospital room with all of his strength. The other vampire landed in the hallway, sliding across the polished floor until he came to rest in a crumpled heap by the wall. Angel growled low in his throat, stalking out of the room after Trick. "Uh, boys? What's going on?" A feminine voice asked. Angel looked over to see Buffy and the rest of the Scooby Gang stopped a few feet down the hallway. Buffy had a bemused expression on her face as she watched Trick lurch to his feet.

"This is the bastard who attacked Faith," Angel spat. "He came here to finish her off."

"Just like I predicted," Cordelia muttered. "And I'm the stupid one," she said sarcastically.

Buffy's expression quickly changed as she eyed up Trick. "He's one of the Mayor's boys?" She asked Angel, who nodded. Buffy smiled. "Then this is going to be fun." Angel watched as Buffy launched herself at Trick, taking him by surprise with a flurry of kicks and punches that left the vampire stunned. Trick fell to his knees on the floor, his face bleeding profusely. Buffy towered over him, a stake resting in her hand. "You're pathetic," Buffy said just before she slammed the stake into Trick's chest. "How does that feel?" She asked, leaning forward and sneering in his face as he exploded into a cloud of dust.

"Threat extinguished," Cordelia said. "So how's our girl?"

"Still the same," Angel replied, desponded.

"Do you think the Mayor will send someone else?" Willow asked fearfully.

"I don't doubt it," Giles replied, removing his glasses and absently wiping them on his shirt.

"Don't worry," Angel said. "I'll stick around. I kinda like keeping her company anyway."

"Don't get any bright ideas, soul boy," Xander said, though he smiled at the vampire.

"I won't," Angel promised.

"Well, enough of this," Cordelia said. "I don't know about you, but I came here to see Faith, not shoot the shit with you guys."

……………………

"That was pretty touching," the woman standing next to Faith said as she and the dark haired slayer listened to Angel's speech. Even though Faith was in a coma, she could hear every word being said to her.

"Angel's a good friend," Faith replied softly.

"That's right. You have lots of those now, don't you?" The woman asked. Faith looked over at her before turning back to the scene unfolding in front of her. The other Faith was several years older than the one who her mother had cruelly burned with a cigarette. She lay on the couch, struggling as a man towered over her, unzipping his pants.

"What happened?" The woman asked.

"He was one of my mother's drug dealers. Came around looking for payment, but she wasn't around. So he thought he'd take something else instead," Faith said, looking down at the ground as the older man raped the girl on the couch.

"This moment changed things for you, didn't it?" The woman asked.

"I didn't trust a man again after that," Faith said. "Not until I met Xander."

"And Giles, Angel, and Wesley," the woman added. Faith smiled.

"Turns out that all guys aren't bastards," Faith replied. The scene in front of her suddenly shifted, distorting out of shape. When everything had come together again, Faith was standing in her old motel room in Sunnydale. "What are we doing back here?" Faith asked.

"Watch," the woman said. Suddenly, the motel room door burst open and Faith stumbled inside. She had been out hunting for vampires when a group of them had taken her by surprise. Buffy had taken the night off to spend it with her friends and was not there to help as Faith was nearly beaten to death by the vampires attacking her. The slayer closed the door behind her and walked over to the mirror above the bureau. Steadying herself on the piece of furniture, she looked up into the mirror. Her eyes were cold and lifeless as she surveyed the damage done to her. Suddenly, she lashed her fist out at the mirror, breaking it into a thousand pieces. Glass flew everywhere, deeply cutting her hand, but Faith could barely feel it.

"You have so much anger in you," the woman said. "It overcomes you."

"I don't feel that way anymore," Faith countered.

"Yes, you do. Deep down inside of your heart, you still carry that pain. You still want to smash in every mirror you see. You want to punish every person who did you wrong. You're still stumbling down the wrong path."

"I'm trying," Faith said wearily.

"But not enough," the woman replied. The scene shifted again and this time, Faith was standing in the alley where she had staked Alan Finch.

"Don't make me watch this again," Faith pleaded. However, she could not stop the vision from passing before her eyes. She saw as she and Buffy came running down the alley, staking vampires as they jumped out at them. Suddenly, Alan Finch leapt out of the shadows in front of Faith. Faith slammed the stake into his chest, realization passing over her face when she felt his heart beating through the wood.

"How did it feel?" The woman asked.

"How did what feel?" Faith asked, looking over at her.

"How did it feel to take a human life?" The woman asked, rephrasing her question, and licking her lips.

"Terrible," Faith replied angrily.

"No, it didn't. You tell yourself that it did so that you don't have to acknowledge what you really feel," the woman countered.

"What're you talking about?" Faith asked, moving away.

"Tell me how it really felt. Tell me what it made you feel like," the woman prodded.

Faith looked down at the ground and closed her eyes. "It made me feel like a god," she whispered brokenly.

"That's right. It made you feel powerful. It made you feel like nothing in the world could stop you," the woman said. Faith opened her eyes and looked into the face of the woman.

"Who are you?" She asked, squinting her eyes suspiciously. The woman laughed.

"I'm surprised you haven't figured it out by now," she said. "You've seen me before."

Faith paled as she realized whom the woman was. "You're the First Evil, aren't you?" She asked, backing away. "You're the one who has been haunting my dreams. You made all of this come true."

"No, Faith, I didn't make all of this come true. You made it come true. And I've had so much fun watching," the woman said, laughing. "But I will do something for you, since you've bee such a sport."

"What's that?" Faith asked, stepping closer.

"I'll tell you how to destroy him," the First said seductively. "I'll tell you how to beat the Mayor."

"Why would you do that?" Faith asked.

"Sunnydale is mine," the First said. "One day I'll take my place in it. But I want it to be there when I do. The Mayor, he's just a pawn in a game that I'm going to win."

"You're afraid of him," Faith said, smiling.

"Do you want what I have or not?" The First asked.

"You know I do," Faith said.

"Then come closer, love," the First said, smiling as it whispered in Faith's ear.


	69. Choices

The Quickening

Notes: Sorry for the delay in updates, but I'm back at home now, so there should be regular updates this week. Although, probably not next week as I'll be in Nebraska. Arizona was nice though; I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a vacation destination. Anyway, I'm going to try to wrap this story up soon as I have a good idea kicking around in my head for a Season 7 story. Also, I'm screwing a bit with the season three timeline because I want the events in the story to take place in a certain way. Thanks for the reviews and keep them coming.

Previously:

"Sunnydale is mine," the First said. "One day I'll take my place in it. But I want it to be there when I do. The Mayor, he's just a pawn in a game that I'm going to win."

"You're afraid of him," Faith said, smiling.

"Do you want what I have or not?" The First asked.

"You know I do," Faith said.

"Then come closer, love," the First said, smiling as it whispered in Faith's ear.

Chapter Sixty-Eight:

The Mayor leaned back in his leather office chair, folding his hands loosely on his stomach. "These slayers are getting to be more trouble than they're worth," he said casually, although an angry spark shone clearly in his eyes. "What do you suppose we do about that?" He asked, addressing three of his vampire employees, who stood nervously in front of him with their hands folded behind their backs.

"Kill them?" One of them suggested, immediately regretting his decision to speak when the Mayor's eyes flitted dangerously across his face.

"And how do you suggest we do that?" The Mayor asked, sharply rising to his feet. He began to pace back and forth behind his desk in quick, deliberate steps. "Mr. Trick was a far more capable asset than any of you," Wilkins said disparagingly. "Even he couldn't kill the younger one. Although, it doesn't seem as though she'll be waking up anytime soon. It's the blonde that I'm worried about. Buffy," he said, spitting her name out of his mouth as if it had a repugnant taste. "She could ruin everything."

"What if we tried a different approach?" Another vampire suggested hesitantly.

"Like what?" The Mayor asked curiously.

"What if we took out her support base?" The vampire asked. "Without the younger slayer, she's weak. But she still has another powerful ally."

"Angel," the Mayor said, smiling suddenly. "What do you propose we do?"

"The Killer of the Dead," the vampire said simply, quite proud of himself.

"I don't know what that means," the Mayor said.

"It's a poison. The only cure for it is the blood of a slayer," the vampire stated. "Shoot Angel with a poisoned arrow. Best-case scenario, they don't figure out what the poison is and Angel dies from it. Second best-case scenario, they do," the vampire stated.

"Why would it be good if they figured it out?" One of the other vampires asked.

"Buffy loves Angel," the Mayor said, catching on. "She loves him so much she'd be willing to sacrifice herself…or another comatose slayer…in order to save him."

"Exactly," the vampire said, smiling widely.

"Now that's what I call thinking outside of the box," the Mayor replied, grinning. "I want you to take care of it. The rest of you, I have a very special package coming in from South America tonight at the airport. I want you to do everything you can to secure it for me. Understood?" The Mayor asked. The vampires nodded and quickly dispersed. The Mayor sat back down in his office chair and leaned against the wall. "Things are looking up."

…………………………

Two of the Mayor's vampires stood in the shadows of an airport hanger as a small plane landed on the runway in front of them. "That the plane?" One of them asked.

"Yeah," the other replied. The engine slowly shut down with a whine and the door of the plane opened. A man stepped out, followed by another carrying a wooden box. The two vampires stepped forward, greeting the men with easy smiles, which the men returned with less enthusiasm.

"Where's the money?" One of the men asked gruffly. "I don't see you carrying nothing."

"The Mayor requested that we take you directly to him," one of the vampires replied smoothly.

The two men looked at each other, recognizing the vampire's lying eyes. "I don't think so."

"Excuse me?" The other vampire asked.

"We don't like surprises," the man replied. "You were supposed to bring the money. No money, no deal."

"I'm sorry, that's just not an option," the vampire said. Looking over at his partner, he nodded, and they both reached into their suit pockets. The men watched them curiously, quickly recognizing the flash of steel that shone under the airport lights. The vampires aimed the guns directly at the men, smug looks settling on their faces as the two humans vainly attempted to back away.

"It's not personal," the other vampire said. "It's just business." Pulling the triggers, the vampires shot both men through their chests. Blood sprayed from the wounds, soaking the ground at their feet. Stepping around the bodies, the vampires picked up the box.

"It's a shame to waste all that good blood," one of the vampires said, licking his lips as he looked down at the ground.

"We have to get this back to the Mayor," the other replied. "I don't like him when he's angry."

"Neither do I," the other agreed, losing his appetite as he thought of what would happen to them if anything went wrong while they were feeding.

"What's in this thing anyway?" The other asked. The box was rather heavy and it felt as if something was moving around inside of it.

"I don't know, didn't think to ask," the other replied. "I just hope it doesn't break out if it's alive."

………………….

"Dateless for prom too?" Xander asked, leaning against the return book counter next to Cordelia in the library. Cordelia looked over at him, confused.

"You're not dateless for prom, Xander," she replied. "You have a date. She just happens to be in a coma."

"Which leaves me rather alone when it comes to the dance floor," Xander said.

"So you're actually going to prom then? I thought you would stay at the hospital," Cordelia replied.

"I was going to. But I thought about it and I know that Faith would want me to go out and have enough fun for the two of us. Granted, that's going to be a bit hard what with the fact that I haven't been able to sleep or even think about having any fun since…well, you know," Xander said.

"Yeah, I know," Cordelia agreed. She had not been able to sleep well either since her best friend was nearly killed by one of the Mayor's henchmen. "And yes, I'm dateless as well." The Sunnydale High Prom was only a day away. Cordelia knew that the rest of the school was buzzing was excitement and though it was her senior Prom, she could not seem to muster any enthusiasm for it with Faith precariously balanced between life and death.

"I have a thought," Xander said. "Why don't we just go together? As friends, of course. God knows Faith would kick my ass if I starting dating someone else while she was down," Xander joked.

Cordelia smiled. "You know, I can't really think of anyone I would rather go with," she replied. "Although, I would rather see you there with Faith."

"Yeah, me too," Xander said, looking down at the floor. Cordelia could see the shine of tears wetting his eyes.

"Don't do that," she said.

"Do what?" Xander asked, looking up.

"Don't start crying. If you start, then I won't be able to keep myself together," Cordelia replied, her voice thick with emotion.

Xander smiled his famous lopsided smile and nodded, collecting himself. "Faith wouldn't want me to cry anyway. She would think I was being a pussy," he said. Cordelia laughed and nodded her head in agreement.

"I believe she would."

…………………………………

Faith lay in a coma while the Sunnydale High Prom raged in the school gym. She was trapped behind a veil of night while the First Evil whispered in her ear. Buffy was awarded the Class Protector award. Cordelia and Xander went together and danced every dance for the unconscious slayer, though they both wished they were at her side instead of each other's. The time ticked by slowly. The nurses changed watch and the moon rose higher in the sky as the night began its long descent into day. The Prom cleared as the students went to after parties, or simply home. The Scooby Gang returned to Buffy's house for their own after party.

Giles retired early from the Summers residence, choosing to spend the rest of the night with Faith, rather than alone in his apartment keenly feeling her absence. "You would have had a good time, actually, though I'm not so sure a Prom is really your type of thing," Giles said. "This boy named Tucker tried to release a pack of hellhounds on the school gym. It was quite exciting," Giles said. He was sitting in the chair next to Faith's bed, holding one of her limp, cold hands in his own. He had seen her deteriorating day after day and he felt as though he was slowly dying with her. Though there was so much more he wanted to say to her, all he could think of were the tiny, mundane details of life.

"I think Buffy and Angel broke up. You'll be sure to give her a hard time about that when you wake up. He came to the Prom, at the very end, but there was a certain sadness in the way they danced – a finality," Giles said as the word came to his mind. "Xander wanted to be here with you, but he knew that you would have none of it. He went with Cordelia. I believe they were both miserable the entire time, but they made the best of it. To be honest, I was quite miserable myself."

Giles related the events of the Prom to the unconscious slayer. Slowly, his eyes drifted closed as sleep took him. The room was silent as Giles slept, the only sound the constant beeping of Faith's heart monitor. "I'm so glad he's done rattling on," the First said, smiling in the dark. Faith could feel its breath against her ear. "Do you understand everything I've told you?

"Yes," Faith said as a chill ran up and down her spine.

"Good," the First said, moving away from the slayer.

"I still don't understand why you're helping me," Faith replied. "I thought the Mayor was working on your side."

"Not all evil is the same, Faith. That's a lesson you'll learn one day quite soon. You see, Faith, you have a choice. On the one hand, you can use the knowledge I've given you today to stop the Mayor from destroying Sunnydale and thus save all of your friends. But if you do, you'll set into motion a chain of events that will lead to my rising and the fall of everything you know. However, if you keep the knowledge to yourself, the Mayor will destroy Sunnydale and everyone in it. You'll have stopped an even greater evil, but you'll have to live with the knowledge that you killed everyone you love. I don't know if you can live with that, Faith. I don't know if anyone could," the First smirked. "I know I'll be waiting eagerly to see which road you take, Faith. Light or dark. Death or life. It's all up to you now. Fate lies in your hands," the First said as it slowly began to fade into a formless darkness that spread though the night. As the last of its essence crept from Faith's mind, her eyes shot open.

Faith blinked several times, trying to focus her eyes. She knew that she was lying down. Above her was a white ceiling. She could hear a beeping sound that reminded her of a heartbeat. She tried to move, but found that she was incredibly weak. A strong, sterile smell invaded her nostrils and she knew that she was in a hospital. Slowly turning her head, she saw Giles asleep in a chair next to her. She tried to speak, but found that her voice would not come. Her throat felt dry and scratchy. She felt as if she had been walking through an arid desert. She had never wanted water more in her entire life. She noticed that Giles's fingers were laced through her own. Gently squeezing his hand, she waited for a reaction.

Giles felt the pressure even in his sleep. Instantly awake, he bolted up in the chair, wildly looking around the room. His eyes settled on Faith and he was shocked to find her dark eyes fixed on his face. "Faith?" He asked, leaning forward and gripping her hand tightly in his own. "Can you hear me?"

"Yeah," Faith managed to say, though it pained her greatly to speak. "I'm not deaf, you know."

"Of course," Giles said, smiling in relief. "I have to get a doctor," he said.

"Wait," Faith said. "Water, please." Giles nodded and sprang to his feet, rushing to the bathroom. She could hear the sound of water pouring through the faucet. Giles reappeared within moments with a glass of water in his hand. Faith struggling to sit up, but managed to prop herself against her pillow. Accepting the glass of water with shaking hands, she drank eagerly, relishing the feel of the cool liquid pouring down her raw throat.

"I'll be right back," Giles said reassuringly, quickly exiting the room to locate a doctor. Faith watched him leave, glad that he was by her side when she woke up. The First Evil's parting words suddenly echoed in her mind and any joy at being awake vanished. She had a choice to make.


	70. The Burden of Knowing

The Quickening

Previously:

"I know I'll be waiting eagerly to see which road you take, Faith. Light or dark. Death or life. It's all up to you now. Fate lies in your hands," the First said as it slowly began to fade into a formless darkness that spread though the night. As the last of its essence crept from Faith's mind, her eyes shot open.

Chapter Sixty-Nine:

"Unfortunately, we just heard that our comatose slayer awoke," a vampire said, standing awkwardly in the Mayor's office. It was the same vampire who had been charged with poisoning Angel.

The Mayor sighed deeply, his eyes lingering on the wooden box sitting on his desk. "Well, it was going to happen sooner or later," he said slowly. "Besides, we don't have much time now before the Ascension. We have other things to focus on."

"Might I ask, sir," the vampire said, glancing at the box curiously, "what's in it?"

"Spiders," the Mayor replied with a white, flashy smile. "Lots and lots of spiders."

"What're you going to do with them?" The vampire asked, a lingering fear of eight legged insects rising up his in chest and causing him to stand rigidly to mask his consternation.

"Ingest them, actually," the Mayor replied, rising to his feet and running a hand over the rough wood of the box. "It's a disgusting practice, very unsanitary. But it must be done. How are things going with Angel?"

"I've procured the poison. I just have to find the appropriate time to administer it to him," the vampire replied. The Mayor nodded, pleased with his underling's progress.

"You know, I might have been wrong about you," the Mayor said suddenly. "You seem much more capable than Mr. Trick. I do hope you don't disappoint me."

"I'll do everything in my power to see that I don't," the vampire replied honestly. He knew what the Mayor did to people who disappointed him. He had not seen a sunrise in very many years and he did not relish the thought of witnessing one now.

"Good," the Mayor said as he glanced at his office door. "Now, if you don't mind, I have some spiders to eat. Something tells me that you don't want to be in here for this." The vampire nodded and moved quickly to the office door. He paused as he opened it and threw a glance over his shoulder at the Mayor, who had moved around to the side of the box. Just as the man was opening the lid, the vampire stepped out into the hallway and closed the door.

Shuddering, the vampire straightened his black suit and shook his head, "Gross."

………………………..

The sun rose slowly over Sunnydale, lingering on the horizon as if it dreaded the thought of another day. Giles had arranged for Faith's discharge from the hospital nearly as soon as she had awoken, for fear that the Mayor would double his efforts to eliminate her. Though the process had been long and complicated, Faith and Giles had departed from the hospital just moments before the sun began to rise. After a short car ride, they arrived at the high school. Sitting in the library, Faith leaned back in her wooden chair and closed her eyes. She had a pounding headache. The doctors had given her painkillers to help manage the pain, but she had not taken any. She clearly remembered the effect drugs had on her mother and did not want to fall victim to their powerful sway.

Giles had been on the phone since their arrival, calling all of the various members of the Scooby Gang to inform them that Faith had awoken and to ask them to meet in the library before their first period class that day. Graduation was swiftly approaching. Though the school was still in session, Faith doubted if anything of importance was happening in the classroom. Giles seemed to doubt it as well. Faith smiled as she heard Giles's voice. He was using the phone in his office, but she could hear snippets of conversation. Finally, Giles hung up the phone and moved out into the library, taking a seat across from her.

"How're you feeling?" Giles asked, noticing the pained look on her face. Faith opened her eyes and smiled uneasily.

"Five by five," she replied. Upon seeing Giles's look, she elaborated, "My head hurts a little. But it's not that bad."

"Perhaps you should get some rest?" Giles asked.

"No," Faith said, shaking her head. "I've been resting enough." Giles nodded and leaned back in his chair, watching the young slayer out of the corner of his eye. Something else was bothering her, he could tell from the way her shoulders sank under the weight of an invisible burden.

"Is there anything else?" Giles asked. Faith looked over at him for several long moments before speaking, slowly, but deliberately.

"How do you know what's right?" Faith asked.

"Right – as in morally correct?" Giles asked.

"No," Faith said, thinking over her words. "When you're given a choice, how do you know what's the right choice to make?"

"If one choice would lead to evil or danger, than the most reasonable choice to make would be to make the choice that leads to good or safety," Giles replied.

"What if neither choice would lead to good?" Faith asked.

"Something tells me that we're not talking about a hypothetical situation, are we?" Giles asked. Faith shook her head. "What happened?"

"I saw things," Faith said, eluding Giles's inquiring eyes by staring past his shoulder at the wall. "Dark things."

"When?" Giles asked, his blood running cold in his veins. He could see fear in Faith's eyes, as well as a great pain.

"When I was in the coma," Faith replied. "Something came to me and told me things."

"What kind of things?" Giles asked.

"I don't want to tell you," Faith answered, looking at him for the first time. "You don't want to know what it told me. I have a choice to make."

"Faith…" Giles began, but she cut him off.

"The others will be here soon. I'll talk to you later," Faith said, rising to her feet. "I'm going to take a walk." Moving to the library doors, she pushed them open, and disappeared into the hallway. Giles watched her leave with dread and anxiety marring his features. He had never seen her so troubled. Giles could not imagine what being would be powerful enough to invade a slayer's consciousness, but he knew that it was more than Faith could fight.

……………………….

The Scooby Gang arrived at the library shortly before the school day began. Faith had never been hugged so much in her life. She smiled, realizing that she had everything she had ever wanted in that room. She had friends, family, and a lover that she could always count on. Xander sat next to her, his hand in hers. He almost started crying when he saw her, sitting in the library as if nothing had happened at all. Faith could see how hard it had been for him to pull himself together. Cordelia, on the other hand, had not even tried. She hugged her best friend with tears streaming down her face before she pulled away and casually punched Faith on the shoulder, threatening to kill her if she ever got hurt again.

Faith knew exactly what choice she had to make now. Looking around the room, she knew that she could never sacrifice any of the people sitting there, even if it meant that more evil would come. There would always be evil in the world, but together, they could handle whatever lay ahead. Faith looked up at Giles, focusing on what he was saying. "Angel will be arriving later on tonight. Obviously, he can't join us at the moment," Giles said, motioning to the light streaming in through the windows.

"What are we here for, Giles? Other than another one of your inspirational lectures?" Buffy asked jokingly. Giles shot her a look as a chorus of giggles erupted. Even Wesley had a smile on his face, which he quickly hid by turning his face to the floor.

"We're here to discuss the Mayor," Giles said. "As we know, the Ascension is rapidly approaching as we're still short of the information we need."

"What have we found out?" Willow asked.

"Well, essentially, all demons that walk the earth are hybrids. An ascension is when a human becomes a pure demon – untainted," Wesley explained.

"Therefore," Giles interjected, "the Mayor will become a demon unlike anything that we've encountered." Faith leaned forward in her chair, listening intently to the conversation as the First Evil's words rang clear in her mind.

"How much damage could a pure demon like that do?" Faith asked.

"A demon like that could decimate the entire town in a matter of hours. If unchecked, it would go on to destroy anything that stood in its way," Wesley answered.

"So it could potentially destroy the world?" Buffy asked.

"Perhaps not the world," Giles replied thoughtfully.

"Why not?" Faith asked.

"I don't think it could get over the ocean," Giles replied. The room fell silent as each person considered his words.

"This sucks," Oz said, breaking the silence. Giles smiled.

"Yes, it most certainly does," he replied.

"So we have to stop him then," Faith said, more to herself than anyone else. Giles watched her closely.

"Well, well, this must be the inner sanctum, huh?" A pleasant voice said from the entrance to the library. The group collectively turned and tensed as they saw Mayor Wilkins entering the library with a jovial smile on his face. Faith felt her muscles tensing, ready to spring into action should she call on them. "Glad to see you're doing better," the Mayor said, looking at her with a friendly expression on his face.

"He doesn't look so bad to me," Faith said, rising to her feet and moving over to him. "Just like any other pathetic politician."

"Faith," Giles said anxiously. Faith looked back at him.

"I'm not afraid of him," she said before she turned and looked back at the Mayor. His eyes were studying her face, trying to determine what to make of the slayer. He could see no fear in her eyes and a certain confidence in her step made him uneasy. It was as if she possessed some secret knowledge that no one else in the world had the privilege of possessing.

"It's nice to see that kids are still interested in reading nowadays," the Mayor said, stepping around Faith, while keeping an eye on her, as he moved to the library table where the group was gathered. "Cordelia," he said, nodding to the teen. Cordelia sank in her chair, willing herself to disappear from his probing eyes. "What are you kids reading nowadays?" Picking up a book that was lying open on the table, he lifted it and read. "The beast will walk upon the earth and darkness will follow. The several races of man will be as one in their terror and destruction," the Mayor paused and smiled. "That's rather sweet. All of the races coming together. Very 'we are the world,' don't you think?" He asked, turning to Buffy.

"Get out," Buffy growled.

"Now, now," the Mayor said. "There's no reason to get snippy. After all, you must always respect your elders," the Mayor said gravely, as if imparting some great wisdom. Faith smirked. The Mayor turned and looked back at her. "I take it you don't agree?" He asked, facing her.

"Not really," Faith replied.

"You seem to have quite an attitude problem," the Mayor said, walking up to her. "What're you going to do about it?" Faith replied lowly, so that only the Mayor could hear her.

"I smell fear in this room," the Mayor said, addressing the rest of them while keeping his eyes on the young slayer. "You're right to be afraid. Some of your deaths will be quick, though, I can assure you that. However," he said, speaking directly to Faith. "Yours won't be." Walking past her, he paused at the door of the library, smiling widely. "See you all at graduation."

The library doors swung open and he disappeared from view. "That's one creepy man," Cordelia muttered.

"What're we going to do, Giles? We can't stop him," Buffy said, all hope of defeating the Mayor lost.

"Yes, we can," Faith said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Buffy was the only one who heard her. The others began to discuss various plans while Buffy rose to her feet and walked over to Faith. Standing directly in front of the other slayer, she looked deep into Faith's eyes, and said, loud enough for everyone to hear, "What do you know that we don't?"


	71. The Plan

The Quickening

Previously:

Buffy was the only one who heard her. The others began to discuss various plans while Buffy rose to her feet and walked over to Faith. Standing directly in front of the other slayer, she looked deep into Faith's eyes, and said, loud enough for everyone to hear, "What do you know that we don't?"

Chapter Seventy:

Faith internally grimaced as the library fell silent. She could see Giles watching her intently from across the room and the looks of confusion on the rest of the faces gazing eagerly at her, willing her to explain Buffy's words. Buffy stood directly in front of Faith, her eyes gleaming with determination and accusation. Faith thought about replying with a frivolous, sarcastic remark, but knew that it was not the time. Everyone was freaking out about the Mayor. They needed something to cling to and Faith was dangling a life raft in front of them. "Sit down," Faith said quietly. Buffy considered her for a moment before nodding and taking a seat at the table with the others.

Faith suddenly found herself standing alone in the middle of the library, the center of attention. Her nerves sparked and for a moment she thought that she would be unable to speak. Finally, the words found her. "When I was unconscious, something came to me," Faith began. "I told Giles a little bit about it, but I still didn't know what it all meant. I think I do now," Faith absently began to pace in front of them. "The First Evil came to me and told me things."

"The First Evil?" Wesley interrupted. "What makes you think that we can trust anything that it said?"

"It was scared. It was afraid of the Mayor," Faith replied. "Whether that seems likely to you or not, it was. I could see the fear in its eyes. It told me how to defeat him."

"What?" Giles asked surprised. "The First Evil told you how to defeat the Mayor? Why would it do that?"

"Yeah, aren't they working on the same side?" Willow interjected.

"No," Faith replied. "They have different agendas, so to speak. The First doesn't want the Mayor standing in its way."

"The First has plans of its own," Wesley stated.

"Yes," Faith replied. "But that's the least of our worries right now," she replied deflecting attention from the First back to the Mayor.

"So how do we kill the Mayor?" Buffy asked, eager to return to their original subject as well.

"The Mayor is invincible until he ascends. After that, he can be destroyed. Granted, it will take more than the usual, but it can be done," Faith replied.

"I don't think our weapons are going to do the trick," Cordelia said, looking over at the weapons closet.

"I could contact the Council, see if they'll send us more," Wesley suggested.

"They'd be too late," Faith said. "All of this is going down at graduation. That's only a day away. We don't have time to wait."

"Graduation," Giles said, shaking his head. "We don't have any time."

"I have an idea," Buffy said suddenly, her face brightening.

"What is it?" Wesley asked.

"Well, the last impenetrable demon we came across was The Judge," Buffy explained. "We couldn't use normal weapons on him, so we used a rocket launcher."

"What's your point?" Xander asked.

"My point is that the one thing that will kill anything is fire. The Mayor's going to ascend into a bigass demon. We need to blow him up," Buffy said, smiling widely. "And I know exactly where we can do that."

"Where?" Giles asked curiously, dreading the look of sheer delight that spread across Buffy's features.

"The school," Buffy said. Xander instantly smiled.

"You want to rig the school with explosives, lure the demon Mayor into the building, and then blow it up?" He asked, catching onto the plan.

Buffy nodded enthusiastically. "It would be a fitting end to our high school careers," she supplied.

Faith laughed and looked down at the ground. "I like it," she said. "But I don't know if it's going to be enough."

"Why not?" Willow asked.

"The Mayor's going to have backup," Faith replied. "No way he's walking in there alone."

"Good point," Wesley said.

"I know," Cordelia said, clapping her hands together, and nearly jumping to her feet. "We arm everyone at graduation. All of the students, all of the parents."

"What makes you think they'll go for that?" Xander asked.

"They know all about the evil things in this town. We explain to them what's going down. We've helped them all these years, they'll help us now," Cordelia said. "Besides, it's not like anyone has a choice if a giant demon is going to be parading through town ripping everything to pieces anyway."

"Everyone shows up at graduation secretly sporting weapons under their robes. When the Mayor starts to ascend, we give the signal, they break the weapons out. Then Faith and I lure the Mayor into the school. Wesley and Giles wait with the explosives. Once we're out of the building and clear of the explosion, you set them off," Buffy said, wrapping up the plan. "Does that sound good?" She asked, turning to Faith.

"Sounds perfect," Faith replied.

"Excellent," Buffy said, rising to her feet. "Okay guys, we have a demon killing plan to explain to the senior class. Let's go." The others rose to their feet and left the library, leaving Faith alone with Giles and Wesley.

"Do you trust the information the First Evil gave you?" Giles asked.

"Yes," Faith replied. "It wants the Mayor dead."

"Why?" Wesley asked, knowing that Faith had held back when explaining things in front of the others.

"It wants Sunnydale," Faith said. "It has plans for this town. And it can't take over if someone else already has."

"By destroying the Mayor instead of allowing him to claim Sunnydale, we'll be putting ourselves into even greater danger," Giles surmised.

"It said I had a choice," Faith said, shrugging her shoulders. "I could tell you or not. But the way I see it, nothing's kept us down before and nothing'll keep us down in the future. Whatever the First is planning to dish out, we can take it."

"I agree," Wesley said, grinning.

"Must have been creepy though," Giles said.

"What?" Faith asked.

"Having the First Evil rattling around in your head," Giles replied.

"Yeah," Faith agreed. "It kinda was."

……………………

Angel threw on his coat as left the mansion. The sun had just set and the moon was lazily rising over Sunnydale. He was eager to see Faith. He had grown quite attached to the young slayer in the relatively short amount of time in which he had known her. She reminded him of himself when he was younger, though Faith seemed to possess a wisdom that he had not. The walk to the library was a short one and Angel followed the familiar path without much regard for his surroundings. It was only until it was too late that he felt that something was terribly wrong. He stopped suddenly in the alley he was walking through, his senses tingling and alert. A vampire was near. Before he could turn to survey his surroundings, however, he felt a sharp object pierce him through the back.

Looking down, he saw an arrow sticking out of his stomach. Quickly moving into the shadows of the alley, he crouched low to the ground, wincing in pain. Grabbing the arrow shaft sticking out of his back, he broke the feathered end off. Then, grabbing the point, he braced himself before ripping it out of his body. He strangled the cry of pain that threatened to rip from his throat and waited in tense silence for a follow-up attack. None came, however. His senses stopped tingling as he felt the vampire move away. Standing, he cautiously moved out into the alley and looked around. Emptiness and silence greeted him.

"What the hell," he muttered to himself, looking down at the arrow he still clutched in his hand. Then he felt it. The wound started to burn as if someone had set it on fire. Grimacing, he braced himself against the wall as pain wracked his body. It suddenly dawned on him why there had been no follow-up attack. The arrow itself had not been meant to kill him. It had been meant to do something else.

"Poison," Angel muttered to himself. He knew that he did not have much time. Quickly pushing himself away from the wall, he moved as fast as he could towards the library. He felt dizzy and waves of nausea crashed through him, but he stayed on his feet. Finally, he saw the dim outline of the high school looming ahead of him. Stumbling towards it, he lost his footing and fell onto the grass. It was slick and wet with dew. He tried to push himself up, but found that the strength had left his limbs. Lying on the grass, he rolled over, and looked up into the sky. The stars shone brightly above him. The little dots merged together in a blur and the world went dark.

………………….

"We need to gather all of our weapons here," Buffy said, motioning around the library. "I know I have a lot of things at home."

"Yeah, me too," Faith agreed. The others nodded their agreement. They each had plenty of weapons stored at their homes.

"We'll arm the first group with crossbows," Buffy began to explain, but suddenly stopped, her face clouded with anxiety.

"What's wrong?" Willow asked, concerned for her friend.

"I don't know, I just felt…something's wrong," Buffy said slowly.

"What is it?" Faith asked. Buffy looked up at her.

"Angel," she replied. Buffy and Faith were on their feet and out of the library before the others knew what was happening. Rushing out of the school, they darted across the lawn, each keenly feeling Angel's fading presence nearby. They saw a dark shape sprawled out on the lawn of the high school. Redirecting their steps toward the shape, Buffy and Faith rushed towards Angel. Kneeling beside him, they both lifted him up, draping his arms around their shoulders as they dragged him into the building. Faith took the arrow tip from Angel's hand. Giles and Wesley were waiting for them in the hallway.

"What happened?" Giles asked, seeing the unconscious vampire.

"Arrow," Faith said, lifting up the arrow for Giles to see.

"It missed him by a great deal," Wesley commented, noting the blood on Angel's shirt.

"Something tells me it was meant to miss," Faith replied. They pushed open the library doors and carefully laid Angel on the table.

"Giles took the arrow from Faith's hand and inspected it carefully. "There must be something on it."

"What do you mean?" Xander asked as he, Cordelia, Willow, and Oz moved out of the way.

"Poison," Wesley said. "We need to test it to find out which, however."

"I can do that," Willow volunteered.

"Yes," Giles said, passing the arrow to her. "Cordelia, Oz, and Xander, go with her. We'll try to help him as best we can here. Report back as soon as you get results."

"We will," Willow said as they gathered supplies and rushed from the library to the science labs.

"Giles," Buffy said quietly. Giles looked over at her and nodded. He knew how much Buffy cared for Angel, even if the couple were not together anymore, as he had suspected.

"Don't worry, B," Faith said, also sensing her sister slayer's anxiety. "He'll be okay."


	72. The Killer and the Cure

The Quickening

Notes: I'm heading to Nebraska for the better part of the week. I'll wrap the story up once I get back. After that, I'm going to start posting a Season 7 story that I've been working a bit. Thanks for the reviews and keep them coming.

Previously:

Then he felt it. The wound started to burn as if someone had set it on fire. Grimacing, he braced himself against the wall as pain wracked his body. It suddenly dawned on him why there had been no follow-up attack. The arrow itself had not been meant to kill him. It had been meant to do something else.

"Poison," Angel muttered to himself.

Chapter Seventy-One:

Buffy sat beside Angel, holding his hand in her own. "He's running a fever, Giles," she said as she wiped the vampire's forehead with a wet rag. Giles had driven Buffy and Angel back to the mansion after he collapsed on the front lawn of Sunnydale High. Willow, Xander, Oz, and Cordelia had remained at the high school to research the origin of the poison they believed was slowly killing Angel. Meanwhile, Faith and Wesley had hit the streets to try to find information from anyone in the demon community willing to talk.

"I'm not sure what else we can do for him," Giles replied from where he was standing in the doorway of Angel's bedroom. Though he and Angel had a strained relationship, he found himself oddly distressed at Angel's condition. He would never be able to forgive Angelus for murdering Jenny, but he was starting to realize that Angelus and Angel were two very different people, though they shared the same face.

"Can't we give him something?" Buffy asked.

"Not until we know what's causing this. Any medication we give him could interact negatively with the poison," Giles explained. Moving into the room, he placed his hand reassuringly on Buffy's shoulder. "We're doing everything we can, Buffy. He'll be alright." Buffy nodded and looked back down at the unconscious vampire.

"I just hate sitting here watching him suffer like this," Buffy said, her voice quivering as tears threatened to spill down her cheeks.

"Buffy," Giles said, folding his arms over his chest, "I understand that you're worried about Angel – justifiably so. But there's a lot that we have to do before the Ascension."

"I can't think about that right now," Buffy replied.

"Don't you think that's exactly what the Mayor wants?" Giles asked.

"We don't know that the Mayor did this," Buffy argued.

"No, you're right. We don't know for certain. But doesn't it seem suspicious to you that a day before graduation, Angel is shot with a poison arrow? He's trying to distract you, Buffy and it's working bloody well," Giles said.

"What do you want me to do, Giles?" Buffy shouted, losing her temper. "My lover is dying right in front of me and there's nothing I can do to stop it. It's all too much."

Giles looked down at the ground. "I know that you're upset," he began.

"No, I don't think you know anything," Buffy said. "You've never liked Angel. He could live or die and you wouldn't care. For the past three years, I've busted my ass to save everyone in this town time and time again for an assortment of demons and vampires. I'll do it again, but right now, I need to be with Angel," Buffy said sternly. "If you don't like it, you can get out."

"I'll be at the library," Giles said, realizing that he had overstepped his bounds. "I'll call if the others find anything."

"Thank you," Buffy said, listening as Giles's footsteps echoed through the mansion. The front door opened and closed. Buffy sighed, knowing that she should not have lost her temper with Giles. The Ascension was more important that one person, but when she closed her eyes, all she could see was Angel's face clouded with pain. As the silence of the mansion closed in around her, Buffy found herself silently weeping, tears staining her face. A sob ripped through her and she clapped her hands to her mouth to silence the sound. Giles was right; if the Mayor meant to distract her by poisoning Angel, his plan was working.

………………………

"Okay, here's what we have," Willow said, looking up from the microscope sitting in front of her. Several books were lying half open on the lab table and an assortment of papers and pens were spread in front of Xander, Cordelia, and Oz as they researched and wrote notes. Giles was sitting beside them, eager to cure Angel if for nothing more than to shift Buffy's focus from her vampire lover to the apocalypse at hand. "The compound on the arrow tip is definitely a poison. What's more, it's mystical," Willow explained. "According to this," she said, pointing to one of the books in front of her, "The Latin name roughly translates into The Killer of the Dead. It's only used on vampires."

"Do any of the books mention a cure?" Giles asked as he absently removed his glasses and wiped them clean on the front of his shirt.

"We haven't found one so far," Cordelia answered. "We've gone through most of the books, but there aren't a lot of instances where a victim has been cured."

"But there are some?" Giles asked hopefully.

"Very vague," Xander said. "As in they mention absolutely nothing that can help us."

"Wait a second," Oz said, suddenly speaking up. "I think I found something."

"Oh?" Giles asked.

"Damn," Oz muttered.

"False alarm?" Cordelia asked.

"No," Oz said. "It mentions a cure."

"Specifically?" Willow asked.

"Yeah," Oz replied. "The only way to cure this thing is the blood of a slayer." Silence greeted Oz's revelation. Finally, Cordelia spoke.

"The blood of the slayer," she stated. "What does that mean? Are we talking like a pin prick amount or rivers of blood?"

"More like rivers," Oz said.

"This isn't good," Willow muttered.

"No, it's not," Giles replied gravely.

"I don't see the problem here, guys," Xander said. "I mean, it's not like Buffy would let Angel drain her or anything." Everyone in the room turned to look at Xander. Sliding down in his seat uncomfortably, he gave a little laugh before saying, "Right?"

"When it comes to Angel," Giles said, "Buffy isn't exactly known for thinking straight."

"She finds out about this, she'll be cutting veins open left and right to save his ass," Cordelia added.

"So then we don't tell her?" Willow asked. "That's not right. This is the only way to save him."

"Which begs the question, is it absolutely necessary to save him?" Giles responded. "The Mayor is about to ascend into a powerful demon. We can't have Buffy sacrificing herself for a vampire on the eve of a potential apocalypse."

"He gives a good argument," Xander said.

"Xander!" Willow said sharply.

"Well, let's face it, Giles is right," Cordelia replied. "Buffy needs to be at full strength to defeat the Mayor, not lying in some hospital bed too weak to move from blood loss."

"Or dead," Xander added.

"So then we don't tell her?" Oz asked.

"No, we don't tell her," Giles reiterated.

"How can you justify this?" Willow asked, completely shocked at her friends' attitudes.

"We have to save the world," Giles replied. "That will always be more important than anything else."

……………………….

Faith and Wesley walked into Willy's bar. The usual group was gathered inside the dingy establishment. As soon as Willy saw them, he groaned. "Not tonight, guys, really," he whined. "I'm sick of having my nose broken."

"We wouldn't have to break your nose so much if you would just cooperate," Faith shot back. "We need some information."

"I'm all out of information," Willy replied. "I got booze, but no information."

"You don't even know what we were going to ask," Wesley said. "How could you know what your answer would be?"

"Fine," Willy said, glaring at them. "What do you want to know?"

"Friend of mine got shot with a poisoned arrow tonight," Faith said as she and Wesley took a seat at the bar. "We will take a drink too, by the way," she added.

"Got ID?" Willy asked. Faith shot him a glare and threw up his hands defensively. "Hey, I just gotta ask. Anyone comes in here, you look twenty-one to me."

Willy placed two shot glasses in front of Wesley and Faith and filled them to the brim with Jack Daniels. "Who was the friend?" Willy asked.

"Angel," Faith replied. "Know anyone who has it out for the big guy?"

"Like everyone," Willy responded sarcastically. "I've heard some things."

"What have you heard?" Wes asked, cautiously taking a sip from his drink while Faith slammed hers back. "Do you drink often?" He asked, looking over at her. Faith shrugged.

"When the mood strikes," she replied.

"The Mayor sent one of his boys after Angel," Willy said, cutting short their conversation. "Wanted to get him out of the way."

"Well, it worked," Faith muttered. "Hear anything about the poison?"

"Yeah," Willy said. "It's called The Killer of the Dead. Can only be used on vampires."

"Is there a cure?" Wes asked.

"There is," Willy replied. "But you're not going to like it."

"Spill, Willy," Faith said.

"The blood of the slayer," he answered.

"As in how much blood?" Faith asked, not liking his answer, as he predicted.

"A pretty good amount," Willy replied.

"How did you find this out?" Wes asked suspiciously.

"I own a bar, man," Willy answered. "I hear things. Demons come in here, get drunk, and go off. Not too long ago, a vampire came in here bragging about how he took down Angel. Asked him how after he had a few drinks, he told me. Simple as that," Willy said.

"Thanks, Willy," Faith said, reaching into her pockets and throwing some money down on the counter. Grabbing Wesley by the elbow, she dragged him out of the bar. "Keep the change," Faith yelled over her shoulder to Willy as they left.

"That went well," Wes commented once they were outside. "I thought we would have to beat him up."

"Me and Willy get along really well," Faith replied. "I give him big tips, he gives me info. Buffy, on the other hand, doesn't know the power of money."

"Speaking of Buffy," Wes said. "What're we going to do with the information Willy gave us?"

"Tell her," Faith replied. "What she decides to do with it is her choice."

"Should we tell the others?" Wes asked, following after Faith as she began to walk to the mansion.

"I don't think so," Faith replied. "Something tells me they would try to stop us."


	73. Feeding the Beast

The Quickening

Notes: Okay, so I'm done traveling for the summer as far as I know. I'm going to be wrapping this story up and then I'll start posting the season 7 story I've been working on. Thanks for the reviews and keep them coming. The next chapter may be the last. I'm not sure.

Previously:

"Speaking of Buffy," Wes said. "What're we going to do with the information Willy gave us?"

"Tell her," Faith replied. "What she decides to do with it is her choice."

Chapter Seventy-Two:

Faith hesitated in the doorway leading to Angel's bedroom. A small candle was lit next to his bed and Faith could see his pale face contorted in pain. Buffy sat beside him, holding his hand, and whispering something that Faith could not hear. Shadows played on the walls, dancing, and twisting as the candle flame flickered. "How's he doing?" Faith finally asked. Buffy jumped, startled, and turned.

"Not much better," she replied. "Giles went to the library to see how Will's analysis of the sample was coming."

"Any word?" Faith asked.

"No," Buffy replied despondently. "I don't think he has much time left either."

"Buffy," Faith said, pausing. Buffy looked at her expectantly. Faith suddenly wondered if telling Buffy was the wisest choice.

"Faith, if you know something…" Buffy said, rising to her feet and approaching her sister slayer.

"You're not going to like what I know," Faith finally replied.

"What is it? Is there no cure?" Buffy asked, anticipating the worst.

"There is a cure," Faith said.

"Well? Spill, Faith," Buffy said impatiently. "Angel doesn't have a lot of time left."

"It's your blood," Faith finally said.

"What?" Buffy asked in surprise.

"The cure is the blood of a slayer," Faith clarified. "It's the only way to save him."

"Oh," Buffy said, moving over to the nearest chair and lowering herself into it. "Not really what I was expecting."

"I know," Faith replied, sitting across from her.

"So how…how does this work?" Buffy asked, looking up at Faith.

"I don't really know, B," Faith said, shrugging her shoulders.

"Do you know how much blood?" Buffy asked.

"More than most people would be willing to give," Faith answered evasively. "I know what you're thinking, B, and I'm not sure it's such a good idea."

"Why not?" Buffy asked defensively. "I can't just let him die."

"And I can't just let you kill yourself on the eve of a very important battle," Faith shot back. "We need you to defeat the Mayor."

"We may need Angel, too," Buffy replied.

"How do we know he'll be able to stop once he gets going?" Faith asked.

"If it was Xander, what would you do?" Buffy shot back.

"Okay," Faith acknowledged. "But I want to be in the room. If he tries anything…"

"Do what you have to," Buffy finished. "Let's get this over with."

The two slayers rose to their feet and with shaking steps, walked into Angel's bedroom. The vampire turned to look at them. Seeing the anxious expressions on their faces, he lifted himself up on his elbows with great difficulty. "What's wrong?" He asked, his voice cracking slightly.

"We found a cure," Faith said.

"But it's a bit more complicated than we thought," Buffy continued.

"What is it?" Angel asked suspiciously.

"You need to drink my blood," Buffy said gravely. Silence blanketed the room and Angel shook his head.

"No, no way. I'm not going to do that," he refused.

"You don't have a choice, Angel," Buffy pleaded.

"Yeah, I do. I just made it. I would rather die than do that to you," Angel stated.

"No, you don't get it," Buffy said, her voice full of resolve and determination. "You don't have a choice. Either way, you're doing this. Even if I have to slit my veins open and pour the blood down your throat myself, you're going to drink."

"I wouldn't try to argue with her, big guy. You know how she gets," Faith added.

"It's gonna be alright," Buffy reassured him. "Faith is going to stay to make sure things don't get out of hand. As soon as you're done, she'll take me to the hospital."

"Just for the record, I'm totally against this," Angel stated for the last time. "But I really don't think I'm going to win this argument."

"No, you're not," Buffy said, smiling. "You ready?" She asked. Angel nodded. Leaning down, Buffy tilted her head so that her neck was exposed to the wounded vampire. Angel could hear the blood rushing through her veins as her heart beat in her chest. He had spent so many years learning how to control his blood lust that he found every fiber of his being fighting against the urge to lean forward and claim her as his own. "You have to do this," Buffy urged. Angel closed his eyes, breathing in her scent. Slowly, his face morphed into its demon visage. Opening his eyes, Angel leaned forward and gently kissed the side of her neck. Then he bit down into her flesh, suppressing a moan as her blood poured into his mouth.

Faith watched as Angel fed on Buffy. She could sense her sister slayer was weakening as the blood flowed from her body into Angel's mouth. With each passing second, Angel grew stronger. Finally, he ripped his mouth from her neck and scrambled away from her. Buffy fell forward, barely catching herself on the bed. Faith rushed to her side as Buffy clamped her hand on the wound on her neck to stop the bleeding. "How ya feeling there, B?" Faith asked, helping Buffy to her feet.

"Been better," Buffy mumbled.

"You?" Faith asked, nodding over at Angel. The vampire nodded and waved Faith away.

"Just get her to a hospital. I'll be fine," he said. "I'll meet you there."

Faith nodded, knowing that Angel needed to cool off after having tasted human blood for the first time in many years. She could see the demon in him fighting to break free and feed again. "Come on, B," Faith said, leading the blonde through the mansion. Buffy had lost a lot of blood, but she would recover.

"Is Angel okay?" Buffy asked as Faith led her through the streets of Sunnydale.

Nodding, Faith smiled down at Buffy. "He'll be alright."

"Good. Because we've got bigger things to worry about," Buffy said. "I'm graduating tomorrow."

"Yeah," Faith said.

"I mean, I'm actually graduating from high school. What the hell am I going to do with myself?" Buffy asked, panic evident in her voice. Faith laughed.

"I think you'll figure it out," she replied. "I'd be more worried about the big ass demon that's planning on attacking sometime between the diplomas and the key note speaker."

"Oh yeah," Buffy said sheepishly. "Forgot about that for a second."

Shaking her head, Faith replied, "Yeah, you're definitely suffering from blood loss."

…………………….

Wesley paced back and forth in the hospital corridor. He did not particularly like hospitals – the sterile smell and crisp, white walls left him with a cold feeling. Angel had arrived shortly after Faith checked Buffy into the hospital. The vampire had called Wesley, who had been waiting per Faith's instructions at his apartment for news. He, in turn, had called Giles. The other Watcher sounded less than enthused to learn that his slayer was in the hospital. Though Wesley knew that Giles was worried, he did not want to explain to the older man what had happened over the phone. The doors at the end of the hallway burst open and the rest of the Scooby Gang rushed towards him.

"What happened?" Giles demanded.

"Perhaps you would like to sit," Wesley said, pointing towards the plastic chairs in the waiting room next to him.

"I'd rather not," Giles ground out. "And if you know what's good for you, you'll tell me what the bloody hell is going on right now."

"Buffy cured Angel," Wesley said simply. "She's receiving several transfusions as we speak."

"What do you mean she cured Angel?" Willow asked, paling considerably.

"How did she find out about the cure?" Xander wondered aloud.

"Wait," Wesley said, catching the boy's words. "You all knew about it?"

"Yes," Giles admitted. "And we didn't tell her because we knew that she would do something rash. Like allowing Angel to feed off of her, which, apparently, she did," Giles replied angrily.

"She's gonna be pissed when she finds that out," Faith said, stepping into the hallway through the emergency room doors.

"Which is why you're not going to tell her," Giles said.

Faith smirked. "She's going to be alright, in case you were wondering," she said pointedly.

"Of course I was wondering," Giles argued back.

"Guys?" Cordelia cut in, "Now that this catastrophe is over, can we head home to get some sleep? We've got a big day tomorrow."

"Yeah," Xander agreed. "I've got to get my beauty sleep," he joked.

"I'll walk them home," Faith volunteered. "I think Buffy would be glad to see you," she said as she walked past Giles.

Faith walked the Scooby Gang home, heading to Xander's apartment last. "Wanna come in?" Xander asked, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively. Faith laughed, but agreed.

Xander closed the door behind them and flipped on the lights. Faith slid her jacket off her shoulders and let it fall to the floor. Turning, she wrapped her arms around Xander's neck, pressing her body against his. "You know, the world could end tomorrow," she whispered in his ear, her husky voice and the feel of her warm breath against his skin caused shivers to run up and down his spine.

"Yeah," Xander replied, closing his eyes and Faith's tongue darted out of her mouth and flicked his ear.

"So I can only think of one way I'd want to spend my last night on earth," she said.

"Me too," Xander said, claiming her mouth with his own. His legs turned to jelly when he heard Faith moan as their tongues met in a playful caress. Leading her towards the bedroom, Xander lifted his shirt off. The back of Faith's legs hit the bed and she found herself flat on her back. Xander moved over her, his eyes shining in the dark. "I love you, Faith," he said softly. Faith felt tears sting her eyes and she smiled.

"I love you too."


	74. Graduation Day Part One

The Quickening

Notes: Okay, one more chapter after this. I was going to put it all into one, but I don't want the chapter to be too unwieldy. Thanks for the reviews.

Previously:

"Guys?" Cordelia cut in, "Now that this catastrophe is over, can we head home to get some sleep? We've got a big day tomorrow."

Chapter Seventy-Three:

The wind was warm against her face. Breathing in deeply, Faith smiled as sea air filled her nostrils. It reminded her of home. "When I was a little girl, I used to hang around the docks and watch the ships come in. I always wanted to get on one and see where it took me," Faith said. "Sail away. Of course, I don't know why I'm telling you this."

"No, I imagine I don't really care, do I?" The First Evil asked. Faith opened her eyes. She was sitting on a white beach. The endless blue sea crashed before her. The sand was warm on her toes and she dug them down deep, smiling at the feel of the crystal specks rubbing against her skin. The sky was clear and blue above her, but storm clouds lingered on the horizon, out over the water, and Faith could see lightening shooting down from the heavens. "Looks like a storm is coming," the First commented.

"Better pack a raincoat," Faith murmured.

"Your Watcher told you that, didn't she?" The First asked.

"I don't remember," Faith answered. "It was a long time ago."

"A raincoat won't help you now," the First continued. "I think this storm is bigger than that."

"Human weakness, right?" Faith commented. "Always trying to protect ourselves when there's not a chance in Hell."

"Funny you should mention that," the First said. Faith looked over, taking in the image of the First sitting next to her on the beach. Its face was blurred, but Faith knew that the person lying beneath was one she would recognize.

"Why won't you just show me your face?" She asked.

"All things in due time, Faith," the First replied. "Your not ready, yet. But one day, you will be."

"What does that mean?" Faith asked.

"This life wasn't meant for you," the First said, glancing over at her. Faith could see piercing green eyes beneath the muddled features of its face.

"I don't know any other," Faith responded slowly.

The First smiled, or at least, Faith thought that it did. "Trying on big sister's clothes, are you? They'll never fit."

Faith turned back towards the sea to watch the storm gather over the water. The dark clouds rolled closer, bringing a cold wind with them that bit at Faith's skin. Thunder boomed and a torrent of rain poured down over the beach. Faith looked up into the clouds and opened her mouth, catching raindrops on her tongue. "I have to go. The Ascension is today. Miles to go. Human weakness and all that?"

"You all have it," the First confirmed. "Want to know what yours is, Faith?"

"I have a feeling you're going to tell me whether I do or not," Faith replied.

The First laughed, a cold, sinister laugh that filled Faith's ears. She shuddered. The First rose to its feet and reached a hand down for Faith. She took it and joined the First as it stood, facing the sea. "Jealousy."

…………………………..

Faith walked into the library, nearly tripped over her feet as she skidded to a stop. "I know, absolutely incredible, isn't it?" Giles asked excitedly, walking over to her. "I've never seen so many people in this library before," he said, his face beaming. Faith laughed.

"And here I was so impressed with all the weapons," she replied. All of the weapons that they could find were stacked and crammed in every corner of the library. Though the graduating class had been suspicious of the plan for destroying the Mayor at first, they had quickly jumped on board once reminded of the numerous times vampires and demons had tried to kill them over the course of their four years at Sunnydale High. Now, they seemed more excited about getting revenge than nervous about standing off with a powerful demon and all of its minions.

"The day will become night," Wesley said, reading aloud from an ancient text. He and the others were gathered around the book return counter.

"Meaning?" Buffy asked.

"An eclipse," Giles said as he and Faith joined them.

"Puts me back in the game," Angel commented. "Along with all of the Mayor's vamps."

"What makes you think you were ever out of the game?" Faith asked.

"We were just gonna put a trash bag over your head and let you loose," Buffy said, laughing as the corners of Angel's mouth lifted into a tiny smile.

"Good to know," he replied.

"How are we doing on weapons?" Xander asked.

"Looks like there'll be enough," Faith said, glancing back at the library tables. The students were sifting through weapons, selecting those that were easier to hide under their robes than some of the more unwieldy weapons that Giles had brought with him from his apartment. "Thinking that battle ax wasn't the best choice," she added, nodding over to an ax that looked to be taller than she.

Giles cleared his throat and removed his glasses, cleaning them on the front of his shirt. "Yes, well, I believe someone told me to bring everything that I had," he argued.

Angel moved away from the others, walking to one of the tables to select his a weapon for himself. Buffy followed after him. Faith watched as the two lovers talked. Buffy was obviously distressed at what Angel had to say to her. Walking back, the blonde slayer stopped beside Faith, crossing her arms over her chest. "What's up, B?" Faith asked, bumping the other girl with her elbow.

"Angel's leaving after the fight," Buffy said. "Going to L.A."

"It's for the best," Faith replied.

"I know," Buffy said wearily. "But it's still not something that I wanted to hear. Is everyone ready?" She asked, addressing the others.

"Ready and set," Cordelia answered.

"Good," Buffy responded. "Let's go graduate."

…………………………..

Faith watched from the trees lining the quad as the graduating class took their seats and the music died away. "God this is boring," she muttered to herself. "No wonder I dropped out." She searched the crowd until she found Xander sitting with the others. He looked back at her and smiled. Despite her growing anxiety, Faith smiled back. She was starting to wonder if the First Evil had been stringing her along the whole time. Perhaps she was playing right into its hands. For the first time, she had been the one to pull through when the others needed her and it had felt good.

Principal Snyder's whiny voice pulled Faith out of her thoughts. "Congratulations to the class of 1999. You all proved more or less adequate. This is a time of celebration, so: sit still and be quiet," Snyder said, surveying the students. "Spit out that gum," he said to one of the students in the front. "Please welcome our distinguished guest speaker – Richard Wilkins the 3rd. I saw that gesture," he finished, pointing to another student. "See me after graduation."

Faith watched as the Mayor stood and approached the podium. Her slayer senses were tingling. Every bone in her body was ready to fight. The Mayor pulled a pack of cue cards out of his pocket, cleared his throat, smiled, and then spoke. "Well. What a day this is! A special day. Today is our centennial – the one hundred year anniversary of the founding of Sunnydale. I know what that means to all of you kids – not a darn thing. Because today something much more important happens. Today, you all graduate from high school. And what is a hundred years of history compared to that? You know what kids…"

"I can't believe it," Faith muttered. "He's gonna do the whole damn speech. Just ascend already."

"Perhaps you shouldn't encourage him," Wesley said, moving over to her.

"He's gonna bore us all to death before we even get a chance to fight," Faith complained.

"I have to agree, though I usually am one to go in for these sorts of things," Wesley commented. "I'm getting rather antsy myself."

"It's been a long road getting here – for you and for Sunnydale," the Mayor continued. "There has been achievement, joy, good times, and loss. But now is the journey's end. And what is a journey? Is it just distance traveled? Time spent?" The Mayor rhetorically asked. Shaking his head, he continued, "No. It's what happens on the way, it's the things that happen to you. At the end of the journey, you're not the same." Faith thought about his words. She clearly remembered her first night in Sunnydale. She had been alone, tired, hungry, and scared. She did not have anyone or anything in the world worth living for except a calling that she did not even understand. Now, things were so different. She had people she cared about, who returned her love with more than she could ever give them. She had purpose.

"Maybe it was selfish," Faith muttered to herself.

"What?" Wesley asked, looking over at her. Faith shook her head.

"Nothing," she replied. However, a dark cloud hung over her heart. Perhaps the world would have been a better place if Sunnydale had been destroyed along with everyone in it. Maybe then the First would never have its chance to prove its worth. But Faith would never find out. She had been given everything that she ever wanted and nothing was going to take it from her. "What's wrong with him?" Faith asked when the Mayor paused, seeming to wince in pain.

"I don't know," Wesley replied. "But something tells me we won't have to wait much longer."

"Today is about change as well. Graduation doesn't just mean that your circumstances change. It means you do. You ascend to a higher level," the Mayor said. He paused again, gripping his side as pain washed over him. "Nothing will ever be the same. Nothing." Faith looked up into the sky as a shadow passed over the Mayor. Clouds were brewing, blocking the sun.

"So it begins," Faith muttered.

"My destiny," the Mayor said, smiling. "It's a little sooner than I expected, but I guess we'll just skip to the big finish!" He declared. The Mayor grimaced, his skin stretching and growing. His suit split through the middle as he began to transform, suddenly taking shape into an enormous snake. Claws dangled from its mouth as it grew in size, eventually towering over the roof of the school.

"Damn," Faith said in astonishment as the Mayor ascended. Faith looked back at the parents, who had been seated to the side of the students. They had jumped out of their chairs and were backing away from the monster, some of them screaming in panic. A horde of vampires crept up behind the students and Faith smiled, shifting her attention back to Buffy. Buffy rose to her feet with the other students. Faith momentarily lost sight of her and moved closer, waiting for Buffy's signal.

"Now!" She heard the blonde yell and she started running.


	75. The Final Battle

The Quickening

Note: This is the final chapter for the story. Usually I include an epilogue in my stories, but this one just seemed to wrap itself up without the need for one. Thanks for all of the reviews and encouragement. This story took a while to write, so thanks for sticking it out with me. Anyway, I will be posting my next story within a couple of days. It's called **Night Falls** and will focus primarily on the relationships of Willow and a character of my making and Buffy and Faith, set to the backdrop of the seventh season. In order to accommodate my story, the events of season seven aren't necessarily going to happen in the order as they did on the show and they most definitely will not coincide with the events in Angel. I hope you read it and enjoy it. Additionally, I hope you've enjoyed this particular story, as I know I've enjoyed writing it.

Previously:

"Damn," Faith said in astonishment as the Mayor ascended. Faith looked back at the parents, who had been seated to the side of the students. They had jumped out of their chairs and were backing away from the monster, some of them screaming in panic. A horde of vampires crept up behind the students and Faith smiled, shifting her attention back to Buffy. Buffy rose to her feet with the other students. Faith momentarily lost sight of her and moved closer, waiting for Buffy's signal.

"Now!" She heard the blonde yell and she started running.

Chapter Seventy-Four:

The quad erupted into a fury of chaos. The students had leapt to their feet and thrown off their graduation garb to reveal the lethal weapons hidden beneath. The Mayor had ascended into a monstrous snake demon, which loomed high above the student body, taller than even the school itself. The parents had fled in panic, some lingering on the outskirts of the battle in concern for their children. Faith had been skeptical at first about the plan. She did not trust the students to remain after the Mayor ascended. She feared that the sight of a full-blooded demon would overcome any sense of valor they possessed. However, it appeared as though she had been proven wrong. The students stood their ground, diminished by the demon, but possessing a greater courage than both Faith and the Mayor would have awarded them.

"Flame unit!" Faith heard Buffy yell as she fought her way through the horde of students to stand by her sister slayer's side. She and Buffy needed to be together in order for the plan to work. Faith watched as several students rushed forward, carrying flamethrowers. She recognized one boy, Larry, whom she had always suspected harbored a small crush on her boyfriend. A wall of fire shot forward, striking the demon in the center of its chest. It shrieked and stumbled back, but Faith knew that the fire would not destroy it. Despite the pain, the demon had a certain twinkle in its eyes, as if it was merely playing along, allowing them some small victory before it snatched everything away from them.

Faith skidded to a halt next to Buffy. The blonde slayer's eyes were wild, caught up in the moment, and Faith saw, for a fleeting second, something primordial and ancient flash through them. "'Bout time you showed up," Buffy said jokingly.

"You seemed to have everything under control," Faith shot back. Faith searched the crowd, looking for Xander's face. Finally, she spotted him amid a sea of students carrying crossbows. "Xander!" She yelled, capturing his attention. "You're up!"

Xander nodded and turned back to face the demon looming before them. "First wave!" He yelled over the demon's shrieks and the general chaos of the battlefield. Beside him, Willow cradled a crossbow, pointing it directly at the demon.

"This feels a little funny," she muttered to herself.

Xander smiled and bellowed, "Fire!" Dozens of arrows shot by his head. He felt the air parting before them and the whistling of the arrows filled his ears. Though the demon fell back, it quickly recovered. With a ferocious snarl, it stretched itself to its full height and then plummeted down, snatching a student from the first row and swallowing him whole. Buffy and Faith watched in shock as the student disappeared in the demon's mouth, his screams silenced in the cavern of its belly.

"Damn," Faith muttered. "That's a hell of a thing."

"No kidding," Buffy returned. In the back of the group, three students dropped their weapons and fled. Their escape was cut short, however, as they were met by a wall of vampires.

"Hey," Oz said, grabbing Xander's arm. "We got company."

Xander turned in time to see the vampires snapping the necks of the three students who had fled. "Bow men!" Xander yelled. A line of students picked up long bows, loading them with arrows. They quickly lit the arrows on fire, with the aid of Larry and his flamethrower, and waited for Xander's signal. The vampires ran forward. Xander raised his hand. "Steady," he said, waiting for the right moment. The vampires drew nearer. He could see the yellow of their eyes. "Fire!" He yelled, thrusting his hand into the air. The arrows shot forward, piercing the first row of vampires and turning them to dust.

"Fall back!" Xander barely heard Buffy yell. Looking back, he saw a small kid, Jonathon, flying through the air as the demon tossed his out of the way. He landed on several of the bowmen, knocking them to the ground.

"Fire again," Xander said, swallowing the fear and panic that had welled in his heart. Another wave of arrows shot forward, momentarily halting the progress of the vampires. They turned, ready to retreat, when they were confronted by another band of students, who were led by Wesley and Angel. The two groups stared each other down and Wesley could not help but think of the Western movies he had watched as a small boy. He had always been fascinated by the concept of a rogue warrior, a lone cowboy who took the world by storm. A light breeze kicked up, blowing between the two groups and Wesley fancied that he could hear the whistling of a Western tune straining in the wind.

"Ready for this?" Angel asked, looking over at the Watcher. Wesley smiled grimly before nodding.

"As ready as I'll ever be," he replied. Then he added, more to himself than the souled vampire, "If my father could see me now…" Angel charged and the rest of the group quickly followed. Wesley watched out of the corner of his eye as Angel pummeled the nearest vampire, knocking it to the ground. Turning his attention to his own fight, he dodged the first fist thrown at him, charging at the vampire, grabbing it around the midsection, and tackling it to the ground.

Meanwhile, Buffy and Faith had joined Xander and Willow in the center of the pack of students. The flame unit was standing in front of them, shooting fire at every part of the demon they could see. Larry's flamethrower momentarily jammed and while he shifted his gaze down to the weapon to inspect it, the demon's tail whipped around and grabbed his by the legs. The demon tossed him in the air and Larry landed by the podium with a sickening crunch. "Something tells me he isn't getting up again," Faith murmured. The demon wailed and bellowed, causing the students to cower in fear. Even Faith found herself stepping back.

"This is not discipline!" She heard a voice yell over the demon's fading cry. "You're on my campus, buddy," Snyder exclaimed.

"B, you're gonna want to see this," Faith said, grabbing her sister slayer by the elbow and capturing her attention.

The demon turned to look at Snyder, who was jumping up and down, waving his hands in the air. "And when I say, quiet, I mean…" The demons' head shot down, its jaws opened, and it grabbed Snyder by the midsection. Tossing the principal into the air, it opened its mouth and caught the man, swallowing him whole.

"Celebrate later," Buffy said after the initial shock had worn off. "Everybody fall back. Get back!" Buffy yelled.

"We ready to rumble, B?" Faith asked. She had been itching to get into the fight, but sheer will power had kept her by Buffy's side. Buffy smiled over at her, the slayer in her eager to fight as well.

"Yes, we are. Willow," Buffy said, turning to her best friend, "Go."

"Good luck," Willow said, before she turned and ran from the fight.

"You got this?" Faith asked, looking at Xander. He nodded.

"Kick some ass," he said as Faith and Buffy disappeared amongst the crowd. Xander sighed heavily and turned back to the battle. "Alright, everyone," he instructed, "hand to hand."

The students rushed forward, armed with baseball bats and a fool's hope for survival. Harmony was immediately bitten. But Xander watched with something akin to pride as Jonathon and several others leapt into the crowd of vampires, fighting with everything they possessed. Cordelia, in particular, was fighting was a wild abandon. She had been in Angel and Wesley's group, towards the back, and had just made her way to the action. Ripping a stake out of a vampire's chest, she punched another in the face, pausing for a moment to brush vampire dust off her clothes before she slammed her stake into the nearest vampire. She had lost sight of Angel during the fight, but she could see Wesley out of the corner of her eye, struggling with a vampire of his own.

"Wes!" Cordy yelled, tossing him a spare stake that she had slid down the waistband of her jeans. Wesley caught the weapon and rammed his knee into the vampire's stomach. The demon stumbled back, regrouped, and charged. Thrusting the stake forward, Wesley squeezed his eyes closed as the vampire burst into dust, covering his face and shirt.

"That's disgusting," Cordy muttered to herself before turning back to her own battle.

"Hey!" Faith yelled as she and Buffy ran to the broken down stage where the Mayor had been making his commencement speech. "Over here!" She yelled again, waving her arms. The snake demon turned to consider the two slayers.

"You've been trying to kill us for months now, never could. How about you give it one last chance?" Buffy proposed, smiling when she saw the demon's eyes light up. "Pride goeth before the fall," she muttered as the demon began to slither over to them.

"Catch us if you can, Dick," Faith yelled as she and Buffy turned and ran towards the school. The demon howled angrily and charged after them. Crashing through the front doors, Faith and Buffy ran with all of the speed that they possessed, but the demon was closing in on them. As it charged through the hallways, they could hear the building ripping apart to accommodate the demon's size. Chunks of plaster and concrete flew by them, barely missing them as they turned a corner and ran into the library. Vaulting over a banister, Buffy and Faith crashed through a window just as the demon plowed into the room. It looked around for several moments, growling when it found it empty, save for dozens of bags of fertilizer and barrels of fuel.

Faith grabbed Buffy by the elbow and pulled her to her feet. "We gotta get outta here, B," she said, pulling the other slayer along. They ran over to a clump of bushes and dove behind them.

"Anytime now would be good," Buffy said to Giles, who was waiting for her signal to blow up the building. Giles nodded and pushed a button on the detonator. The building lit up in a cloud of fire and ash as explosions ripped through it. They could hear the demon wailing in pain from within the school's walls, but the sound grew fainter as the fire spread, until they could no longer hear it.

"Is it over?" Willow asked, as she crouched next to Giles. Buffy nodded and smiled.

"It's over," she replied.

…………………………….

Fire trucks and ambulances littered the parking lot of Sunnydale High. Graduation had turned into a blood bath. The media was there as well, but most of the students dodged the microphones, and those who did speak told incredible tales that none of the reporters believed. Buffy, Faith, Willow, and Giles wandered through the crowd of people littering the parking lot, searching the faces for their friends. Larry had indeed died when the Mayor grabbed him. Harmony was also dead, bitten by a vampire. Dozens of other students had perished in the battle. Faith felt the weight of their deaths as a burden on her heart and wondered if she could bear the burden of what the First would do to Sunnydale if it had the chance. Looking around, she wondered again if she had made the right decision. All of those people still living and breathing would have lives now because of her. She hoped they made a difference – that the good their lives could produce would negate the evil that the First could unleash.

"Hey," a voice said from behind her. Faith turned to see Xander standing there. His arm was in a sling and he had a nasty gash on the side of his face, but he was alive. Faith leapt forward, pulling him into a tight embrace. "Gotta breathe, babe," Xander said after several long moments.

"Sorry," Faith said sheepishly as she pulled away. "Have you seen the others?" She asked.

"No," Xander said. "I was looking too."

The group began walking again, hearts lighter for having found one of their own. Finally, they located a small group of people standing away from the others, watching the fire trucks desperately trying to quench the blaze that had consumed all that remained of the school. "It's them," Buffy said with relief as they moved over to the group.

"Got off pretty good, I'd say," Oz said as the others joined him, Cordelia, and Wesley.

"Yeah," Buffy replied. "Seems like we did. Has anyone seen…?" She asked, her questioning lingering when she saw the look on Wesley's face. "What?"

"He made it through the fight," Wesley confirmed. "But he left just moments ago. I don't believe he wanted to have to say goodbye."

Buffy nodded, knowing that it was for the best. Angel had been a big part of her life, but that life was over now. She had graduated, it was time to grow up. "Are you alright?" Giles asked, laying a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

Buffy smiled appreciatively and nodded. "I'm just tired," she replied.

"Well, I congratulate you on a good campaign, anyway," Giles responded, glancing around the parking lot. "And, I manage to ferret this out of the wreckage. I'd say you earned it," Giles said, passing her a battered high school diploma. Buffy's eyes lit up when she saw it.

"Thanks," she said, pulling him into a warm embrace. When they parted, Giles cleared his throat and nodded.

"Of course," he murmured. "Well, there's a certain dramatic irony attached to all this. A synchronicity that borders on predestination, one might say," Giles said.

Buffy looked over at him and rolled her eyes, "Fire bad, tree pretty?"

Giles laughed. "Something like that."

"So what are your plans now that you've graduated?" Faith asked Cordelia as the two girls sat on the hood of a smashed car, watching the school burn.

"I was thinking I'd go to L.A. Who knows, maybe I'll be a famous actress one day," Cordelia said wistfully. "But it's good to know that I have something to come back to, if that doesn't work out."

"Well, I'm not going anywhere," Faith replied, smiling when Cordelia reached over and hugged her.

"I am gonna miss my best friend though," Cordy said when she pulled away.

"Not really a long drive," Faith reminded her. Cordy nodded.

"If someone could just wake me up when it's time to go to college, that would be great," Willow said.

"Guys, take a moment to deal with this. We survived," Oz said, shoving his hands into his pockets.

"It _was_ a hell of a battle," Buffy concurred.

"Not the battle," Oz replied, "high school."

The others nodded. "And moment done," Cordelia said. "I say we go home and get some sleep."

"Damn straight," Buffy replied. The group collectively stood and began to walk away. Faith and Xander lingered in the back, walking hand in hand.

"Thanks," Faith said, looking over at him.

"For what?" Xander asked.

"Just thanks," Faith replied, leaning up and kissing him gently on the lips. Xander smiled as Faith pulled away.

"Anytime," he said. Faith glanced back over her shoulder, watching a tower of smoke and fire shoot up into the sky. The battle was over and Faith, for the first time in her life, felt that she could rest. Squeezing Xander's hand, she walked away from the school, towards a new day.

The End.


End file.
